Kunoichi
by KittyUchiha007
Summary: AU. Sakura is the princess to a village where women are the dominent gender. Sasuke is the prince of a nation where men are dominant. Both are expected to marry someone. What happens when their two worlds collide? Sasusaku, Naruhina, Nejiten, Shikatema
1. The prophecy A new home

**Well, here goes the second replacement. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I can't even draw very good, Dang it!**

**Enjoy!**

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**The Prophecy/ A New Home**

Early rays of sunshine crept across the room. They gently nudged the princess until she finally awoke from her late slumber. Yawning, Sakura stretched her arms and dressed herself. Her servant brought her a tray of fresh berries, juice, and a small bowl of rice and soup for her breakfast. Once finished wither meal, she brushed her soft pink hair. A knock came from the outside world and she slid the thin door aside to greet the knocker. Soon, Ino was smiling before her.

"Hi, Sakura,"

"Morning, Ino. What's up?"

"I need you to come to Hinata's house with me. She's got some news."

The rosette cocked her head in curiosity. What news could there be? She raced out of her wing towards Hinata's cabin with Ino flanking her right side.

When they arrived, Sakura called out, "Priestess Hinata? I hear you have some news to tell me. I came as fast as I could."

With grace, the priestess emerged from her cabin, greeting the two warriors and ushering them inside. "Good morning, Princess. I have news indeed, an omen perhaps." Hinata's midnight blue hair flowed through the air as she turned sharply into the cabin.

As Sakura cocked her head again, the young woman brought out a flower and a butterfly trapped in a jar. She moved behind a low table in the center of the room and then continued her dialogue. "This white rose was found near your doorstep before the celebration of the solstice, Sakura." She took the specimen out off the jar and tenderly placed the beauty on the table.

Sakura picked up the flower as cautiously as her friend. "Ino, didn't you give me a rose bush last week?" She asked the blonde.

Ino sputtered out in shock, "Y-yes, but the bush was yellow. None of my flowers are white. I always take good care of them but-."

"F-forgive me for interrupting you, Ino, b-but I don't doubt you, Ino. In fact, this flower is perfectly healthy. It is in full bloom, but its petals are indeed white." Hinata interjected shyly.

"Wow," Ino commented while Sakura remained silent. "I've only heard of white roses in lands far from the Leaf village."

"So, what's the omen? Is it good, or bad?" Sakura asked with worry painted on her face and anxiousness in her light green eyes.

The shy priestess answered Sakura, "W-well, white symbolizes purity. I-I would say that it symbolizes how you shall purify something or someone. Maybe you are the one to be cleansed. I cannot exactly read this perfectly, but High Priestess Shizune is on her way here."

Sakura took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She asked herself, what was wrong in the village? Why must something be cleansed? Since she couldn't find answers to her questions, she politely asked Hinata, "Then can you tell me about the butterfly?"

"Uhh, what butterfly?" Hinata asked worriedly.

Ino responded, "Sakura, that's not a butterfly."

Princess Sakura looked down again to see a large, hairy spider poised against the glass. It was the size of a girl's hand. They all screamed in bloody murder. "SPIDER!!!! EEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Hinata dropped the jar onto the table and raced to a tall stool while Ino clutched the ceiling using only her chakra for support. The rosette leapt backwards into a defensive stance with a knife drawn for this was no ordinary creepy crawler. This was a viper spider. Viper spiders are capable of killing a ninja with one bite, and could easily jump the length of a full grown man.

Just then, Shizune slid the front door open. "I heard a scream. What ha- HOLY HEAVENS!!! A VIPER SPIDER!!!" The fiend turned to face Shizune and sprang at her. With a screech, the high priestess dove onto the hard floorboards as the arachnid flew past her. She immediately slammed the door shut with her foot.

"I'll send out the birds," Sakura said. She sped into another room and grabbed a cage full of birds, the viper spiders' natural predators. Princess Sakura flung the cloth covering aside, opened a window, and sent them out to dine on their prey. "That was close," Sakura commented. Everyone sighed with relief and stood up.

"W-well now that the danger has p-passed, High Priestess, can you examine the white rose?" Hinata asked.

The High Priestess picked up the flower and confirmed Hinata's prediction. "However, you did forget that every rose has its thorn. Color isn't the only importance in a prediction, but also the form. A rose resembles love and beauty, but people often forget the consequences of wielding something so radiant. Princess, you will undergo some troubling times in order to succeed in your reign." High Priestess Shizune explained. "It may not be easy, but something must be purified," She pointed to the door as a bird chirped in excitement, and a muffled screech followed. The bird appeared on the window sill looking content. He cocked his head as if asking permission to return inside. Hinata opened the window, and allowed the bird to perch on her fingers. Shizune added to her warning, "If you fail, Princess, a loved one will die."

As the carriage drew nearer to the castle, Naruto gazed out the window. What he saw amazed him like never before. Separating the castle form the main road was a green but clear river with a red bridge above. After the carriage crossed the river, they entered a village surrounding the castle. Children waved at them in the middle of their games, ladies fanned themselves vigorously when they caught a glimpse of the princes, bakers proudly displayed their latest creations, and men either tipped their hats or bowed their heads in respect before heading off to work.

The castle itself was a true work of wonder. Naruto could even hear Itachi gasp in astonishment while Sasuke wore a look of the same expression. Naruto turned his attention back to the castle. Black roof tiles caught the sunshine, white walls gleamed against the black, and all the windows and balconies had a brilliant red trim.

"Wow! I bet this is better than your parents' castle. I think I see the Uchia symbol on the doors. We should explore this place. I don't want to get lost on the way to dinner." Naruto blurted out. This palace fascinated him, and he couldn't wait to get inside.

Sasuke shut the door to his bedroom and walked onto the balcony. He needed some time to relax because his brother's shocking news still disturbed him. The prince leaned on the edge of the balcony to see the private courtyard laid out before him. A small, gentle waterfall splashed into a pond filled with koi. The fished danced and swirled in their realm, showing off their magnificent colors. By the water, a willow tree's leaves drooped into the pool.

Young pear trees sprouted here and there, and fragrant cherry blossoms dotted the walls. Their soft, pink petals twisted in the breeze. One of them landed next to his hand. Sasuke studied the petal while holding it in between his fingers. He then released it into the breeze, allowing it to roam free.

"Your Majesty," a lanky servant called from behind. "Lunch is served."

Sasuke turned around. "I'm not hungry. Tell Naruto to eat quickly and send him up here." Obediently, the servant shut the door and trotted down the stairwell.

Only a few minutes later, did the blonde bolt into Sasuke's quarters. "Did you need me?" He asked out of breath from running at top speed to his friend.

"Take it easy, Naruto. You don't have to kill yourself." Sasuke said. "Anyway, I'm going to explore the village, and I need you to accompany me. We should find out about the villagers and know every street ..." As he explained the mission, Naruto started to spread a wide grin across his face and bounced in place like a child. "And wear something a commoner would. Going in cognito will prevent any unnecessary commotion." Immediately, Naruto zoomed to his own room to change.

When they walked out of the castle, the teens had dark brown trousers, white shirts, and cloaks to help hid themselves. They then made their way into the bustling town. Many of the women were out in the market, buying ingredients for dinner. Older children were watching the younger ones while doing a few chores. Only one beggar was seen. Naruto took pity on the man in poverty, and handed him a coin.

"Oh, thank you, sir." The beggar thanked him. "Say, I haven't ever seen you or your friend in town. Are you travelers?" His yellow teeth contributed to the stench of his breath. At least he was polite to the boys. Naruto turned to Sasuke for an answer. The blonde wasn't very good at acting, but if anyone could keep his cool, it was the prince of the Fire Kingdom.

Sasuke answered the man, "Yes, and we would like to find out about the places we visit. What is life like in this village?"

Turning his gaze to the raven haired boy, the beggar responded, "Well, I heard that the crown prince and his older brother have arrived in the castle. It's too early to tell what kind of people they are like. If you want a better answer, I think you should ask that man over there." He pointed towards a man with silver hair and a navy blue kimono with green trim. "That nobleman has a high status with the court and very friendly. He's one of the first to live here. Why, hello, Kakashi- san."

"Good afternoon, Jiraya. Why are you disguised as a beggar?" Kakashi questioned with a perplexed look. "Oh, and hello Your Majesty. Hello Naruto."

POOF!!! A cloud of dust exploded from the beggar and revealed a sixty- year- old man with long, white hair. Sasuke heard Naruto gasped in shock. "Hmm… so you are a ninja, too. Impressive."

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**Please review! Even anonomous (sp?) comments are appreciated so long as they are constructive criticism. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, here goes the second replacement. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I can't even draw very good, Dang it!**

**Enjoy!**

****

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**The Prophecy/ A New Home**

Early rays of sunshine crept across the room. They gently nudged the princess until she finally awoke from her late slumber. Yawning, Sakura stretched her arms and dressed herself. Her servant brought her a tray of fresh berries, juice, and a small bowl of rice and soup for her breakfast. Once finished wither meal, she brushed her soft pink hair. A knock came from the outside world and she slid the thin door aside to greet the knocker. Soon, Ino was smiling before her.

"Hi, Sakura,"

"Morning, Ino. What's up?"

"I need you to come to Hinata's house with me. She's got some news."

The rosette cocked her head in curiosity. What news could there be? She raced out of her wing towards Hinata's cabin with Ino flanking her right side.

When they arrived, Sakura called out, "Priestess Hinata? I hear you have some news to tell me. I came as fast as I could."

With grace, the priestess emerged from her cabin, greeting the two warriors and ushering them inside. "Good morning, Princess. I have news indeed, an omen perhaps." Hinata's midnight blue hair flowed through the air as she turned sharply into the cabin.

As Sakura cocked her head again, the young woman brought out a flower and a butterfly trapped in a jar. She moved behind a low table in the center of the room and then continued her dialogue. "This white rose was found near your doorstep before the celebration of the solstice, Sakura." She took the specimen out off the jar and tenderly placed the beauty on the table.

Sakura picked up the flower as cautiously as her friend. "Ino, didn't you give me a rose bush last week?" She asked the blonde.

Ino sputtered out in shock, "Y-yes, but the bush was yellow. None of my flowers are white. I always take good care of them but-."

"F-forgive me for interrupting you, Ino, b-but I don't doubt you, Ino. In fact, this flower is perfectly healthy. It is in full bloom, but its petals are indeed white." Hinata interjected shyly.

"Wow," Ino commented while Sakura remained silent. "I've only heard of white roses in lands far from the Leaf village."

"So, what's the omen? Is it good, or bad?" Sakura asked with worry painted on her face and anxiousness in her light green eyes.

The shy priestess answered Sakura, "W-well, white symbolizes purity. I-I would say that it symbolizes how you shall purify something or someone. Maybe you are the one to be cleansed. I cannot exactly read this perfectly, but High Priestess Shizune is on her way here."

Sakura took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She asked herself, what was wrong in the village? Why must something be cleansed? Since she couldn't find answers to her questions, she politely asked Hinata, "Then can you tell me about the butterfly?"

"Uhh, what butterfly?" Hinata asked worriedly.

Ino responded, "Sakura, that's not a butterfly."

Princess Sakura looked down again to see a large, hairy spider poised against the glass. It was the size of a girl's hand. They all screamed in bloody murder. "SPIDER!!!! EEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Hinata dropped the jar onto the table and raced to a tall stool while Ino clutched the ceiling using only her chakra for support. The rosette leapt backwards into a defensive stance with a knife drawn for this was no ordinary creepy crawler. This was a viper spider. Viper spiders are capable of killing a ninja with one bite, and could easily jump the length of a full grown man.

Just then, Shizune slid the front door open. "I heard a scream. What ha- HOLY HEAVENS!!! A VIPER SPIDER!!!" The fiend turned to face Shizune and sprang at her. With a screech, the high priestess dove onto the hard floorboards as the arachnid flew past her. She immediately slammed the door shut with her foot.

"I'll send out the birds," Sakura said. She sped into another room and grabbed a cage full of birds, the viper spiders' natural predators. Princess Sakura flung the cloth covering aside, opened a window, and sent them out to dine on their prey. "That was close," Sakura commented. Everyone sighed with relief and stood up.

"W-well now that the danger has p-passed, High Priestess, can you examine the white rose?" Hinata asked.

The High Priestess picked up the flower and confirmed Hinata's prediction. "However, you did forget that every rose has its thorn. Color isn't the only importance in a prediction, but also the form. A rose resembles love and beauty, but people often forget the consequences of wielding something so radiant. Princess, you will undergo some troubling times in order to succeed in your reign." High Priestess Shizune explained. "It may not be easy, but something must be purified," She pointed to the door as a bird chirped in excitement, and a muffled screech followed. The bird appeared on the window sill looking content. He cocked his head as if asking permission to return inside. Hinata opened the window, and allowed the bird to perch on her fingers. Shizune added to her warning, "If you fail, Princess, a loved one will die."

As the carriage drew nearer to the castle, Naruto gazed out the window. What he saw amazed him like never before. Separating the castle form the main road was a green but clear river with a red bridge above. After the carriage crossed the river, they entered a village surrounding the castle. Children waved at them in the middle of their games, ladies fanned themselves vigorously when they caught a glimpse of the princes, bakers proudly displayed their latest creations, and men either tipped their hats or bowed their heads in respect before heading off to work.

The castle itself was a true work of wonder. Naruto could even hear Itachi gasp in astonishment while Sasuke wore a look of the same expression. Naruto turned his attention back to the castle. Black roof tiles caught the sunshine, white walls gleamed against the black, and all the windows and balconies had a brilliant red trim.

"Wow! I bet this is better than your parents' castle. I think I see the Uchia symbol on the doors. We should explore this place. I don't want to get lost on the way to dinner." Naruto blurted out. This palace fascinated him, and he couldn't wait to get inside.

Sasuke shut the door to his bedroom and walked onto the balcony. He needed some time to relax because his brother's shocking news still disturbed him. The prince leaned on the edge of the balcony to see the private courtyard laid out before him. A small, gentle waterfall splashed into a pond filled with koi. The fished danced and swirled in their realm, showing off their magnificent colors. By the water, a willow tree's leaves drooped into the pool.

Young pear trees sprouted here and there, and fragrant cherry blossoms dotted the walls. Their soft, pink petals twisted in the breeze. One of them landed next to his hand. Sasuke studied the petal while holding it in between his fingers. He then released it into the breeze, allowing it to roam free.

"Your Majesty," a lanky servant called from behind. "Lunch is served."

Sasuke turned around. "I'm not hungry. Tell Naruto to eat quickly and send him up here." Obediently, the servant shut the door and trotted down the stairwell.

Only a few minutes later, did the blonde bolt into Sasuke's quarters. "Did you need me?" He asked out of breath from running at top speed to his friend.

"Take it easy, Naruto. You don't have to kill yourself." Sasuke said. "Anyway, I'm going to explore the village, and I need you to accompany me. We should find out about the villagers and know every street ..." As he explained the mission, Naruto started to spread a wide grin across his face and bounced in place like a child. "And wear something a commoner would. Going in cognito will prevent any unnecessary commotion." Immediately, Naruto zoomed to his own room to change.

When they walked out of the castle, the teens had dark brown trousers, white shirts, and cloaks to help hid themselves. They then made their way into the bustling town. Many of the women were out in the market, buying ingredients for dinner. Older children were watching the younger ones while doing a few chores. Only one beggar was seen. Naruto took pity on the man in poverty, and handed him a coin.

"Oh, thank you, sir." The beggar thanked him. "Say, I haven't ever seen you or your friend in town. Are you travelers?" His yellow teeth contributed to the stench of his breath. At least he was polite to the boys. Naruto turned to Sasuke for an answer. The blonde wasn't very good at acting, but if anyone could keep his cool, it was the prince of the Fire Kingdom.

Sasuke answered the man, "Yes, and we would like to find out about the places we visit. What is life like in this village?"

Turning his gaze to the raven haired boy, the beggar responded, "Well, I heard that the crown prince and his older brother have arrived in the castle. It's too early to tell what kind of people they are like. If you want a better answer, I think you should ask that man over there." He pointed towards a man with silver hair and a navy blue kimono with green trim. "That nobleman has a high status with the court and very friendly. He's one of the first to live here. Why, hello, Kakashi- san."

"Good afternoon, Jiraya. Why are you disguised as a beggar?" Kakashi questioned with a perplexed look. "Oh, and hello Your Majesty. Hello Naruto."

POOF!!! A cloud of dust exploded from the beggar and revealed a sixty- year- old man with long, white hair. Sasuke heard Naruto gasped in shock. "Hmm… so you are a ninja, too. Impressive."

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**Please review! Even anonomous (sp?) comments are appreciated so long as they are constructive criticism. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Yes! I updated again! Haha! I'm so ninjatastic like that! Anyway, please check out my poll.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own naruto. (He's not my type) ;) Don't quote me after that!**

**Thanks for reviewing. I love reading them. **

**Enjoy!**

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**Tree house/ History**

Sakura breathed in the cool breeze blowing across the rooftops. With perfect balance, she sat down on the green roof above her bedroom. The weather was beautiful in the fall. Pine trees still smelled strong, and the non-evergreen trees turned bright red, golden yellow, and a warm orange. Birds flew valiantly in the blue sky, heading towards their summer paradise.

"Princess Sakura! Where are you?" A familiar voice called from below.

The princess leaned over the rooftop to see Tenten. "I am on the roof!" She yelled. "Up here!" Sakura added.

Tenten pulled her head back and jumped onto the roof with ease. "I have been looking for you all morning. Where have you been?"

"Studying the scroll of medicine Tsunade-sama assigned to me." Sakura explained. "Remembering all the side effects of five different medications is not as easy as it seems. There are different kinds of coughs, the color of-"

"Yes, yes, yes. I know how smart you are and I'm not interested in you explaining stuff of that sort." The brunette interrupted. "Anyway, Temari and I found something exciting in the forest. Temari is fetching Ino, so let's go!"

Without waiting for an answer, Tenten grabbed the warrior princess's wrist and they scaled down the building. Trees and bushes zipped by, as the two kunoichis raced into the heart of the forest. Falling leaves blurred out of vision in splotches of gold and red. Wind combed their hair in gentle, quick strokes until Tenten made a sudden halt.

"Here we are," she announced.

"What? I don't see anything."

"Look up," Tenten commanded.

Doing as she was told, Sakura glanced upward. There, she saw the leaves, branches, pines, birds, and squirrels. She looked harder and could see a mass of branches forming with pine needles trying to conceal the bark. Her companion started climbing the tree with chakra on her feet, and Sakura followed in pursuit. When they reached their destination, Sakura realized that this was not just a clump. They formed a flat surface in the tree tops! A wall of other pine needles sheltered one side of the floor while the trunk of the tree covered another side. Temari and Ino were weaving a second wall of pine on the floor.

"A tree house," Sakura gasped.

Tenten nodded, "This can be our special place where we can get away from the world when times are harsh. What do you think, Sakura-chan?"

Immediately, Sakura answered, "I think this is such a brilliant idea!"

Ino took her attention off her weaving, "It still needs some work, but I figured that a rug and some flowers will make this tree house a little cozier."

"There's a stack of pine needles over there," Temari jerked her head towards a corner of the unfinished house. "Weave them and we can attach the walls together." Sakura and Tenten sat next to the pile and began to weave.

"So, have you girls been thinking about the tournament lately?" Ino asked.

Everyone started giggling, and Sakura replied, "Do you have your eyes set on someone Ino?" Bursts of laughter erupted.

"Well, not really," she blushed.

"You're lying," everyone else stated.

Ino's face flushed red, "Okay, I have a small crush." The girls waited for more. The blonde sighed, "Kiba."

"WHAT!!!!"

"What's wrong with him?" Ino asked worriedly.

Sakura placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Ino, he's practically a dog." Another round of laughter sounded and Sakura realized why. "Ha, ha, ha! You all know what I mean. Ignore the pun." She giggled.

"Oooh, what a dog!" Tenten and Temari hooted. With the two walls finished, they tied them together and onto the floor. Tenten took out a knife to cut out a doorway. Still giggling, they sang:

"He's a tramp.

He's a scoundrel.

He breaks a new heart,

Everyday.

He's a tramp, but Ino adores him!

And she hopes that she can sway his wa-a-a-ay!"

Even more laughter filled the tree house. "Well, who have you girls been thinking about?" Ino retorted.

The sun was setting over the horizon, and Sakura realized that the day was drawing to a close. "I think we will find out tomorrow. It's getting late, and we should head home for dinner now."

"I agree," Tenten said.

Together, all four girls set off towards the wafting smell of delicious meats, pastries, and soups. Jasmine flowers were beginning to release their fragrant scent into the night air. Everything seemed lovely at this time of day. Behind them, the impatient moon climbed higher into the sky, pushing her arrogant sister off the earth and into the horizon.

"H-how did you know it was us?" Naruto exclaimed.

A smirk appeared through Kakashi's mask, "We'll you just now told me. He, he."

Anger crossed Sasuke's face. "Dobe! You blew our cover!"

"Calm down, no one can see you through your cloaks. Just cover your mouth, Naruto." Jiraya chuckled. "It's been a while since I've seen you."

Naruto dropped his jaw again. "How do you know my name? Are you a pervert?" He raised his voice. Naruto's family died when he was only a baby. The only one who raised him was the orphanage until he found himself a position to train for in the palace. Plus, there was the fact that Naruto had never seen this old creep before.

"Why does everyone label me that way?" Jiraya wondered aloud.

Kakashi decided to calm down the boy by suggesting, "Well, let's talk this over with a cup of tea and sweet dumplings. Jiraya and I will tell you what you need to know about the area." Everyone agreed.

"So you see, I am like your grandfather. I've trained your father and he was like a son to me. That makes you my grandson. Err, sort of." Jiraya finished.

Naruto smiled. "I believe you, Pervy Sage. I have heard of you as an author writing perverted novels, but you seem okay for a pervert."

The old man sighed, "Why, does everyone call me that?"

Ignoring him, Naruto asked, "So what about my mom? What was she like?" Naruto leaned forward with interest.

"Well, let's see," Jiraya started again. "Your mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was definitely a tomboy. You inherit her personality, love for ramen, and not to mention, her talkativeness. Her hair was a bright red and was so long, she usually sat on it. Ha, ha, ha!" Jiraya chuckled. "I knew your parents made a good couple." A solemn face was drawn on his face. "It's a shame she died as well."

"What happened?" Naruto pressed. He had to know what happened. His nightmares as a child changed every night. Though, he outgrew the horrid dreams, the memory chilled him to the bone.

Still with the dark expression, Jiraya continued, "After you were born, your mother became severely ill. I never knew what caused this because the doctors kept her under quarantine. Every day, she demanded to see her child. A month later, she died. Unfortunately, there was no cure for her illness."

"And my father?"

"Sacrificed himself to save your life. He needed to seal the nine-tailed demon fox inside of you to protect the country, and that required his death. Minato knew that only you could hold in the demon to survive. Also, he knew you could survive on your own with the help of its powers."

Naruto contemplated the news for a while and took another bite of the dumpling. "Is that why I black out every near death experience I have?"

Reaching for his cup of sake, the sage replied, "Yes. When your adrenaline level reaches a certain point, the kyuubi's powers are released. Life was rough when you were young, but Minato made the best choice in defending the village and helping you survive. Do not hold a grudge against him. You should be proud."

Finishing his dumpling, the blonde teen spoke, "I am proud. My parents were the best in the world. If I were in my father's place, I would do the same."

"Kakashi- sensei, why are you here?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi responded, "Despite the fact that you surpassed my teachings in the ways of a shinobi, you still need a teacher for guidance. Naruto has not surpassed me at all, so you both need me and Jiraya."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't seem like a good enough reason to follow us the Fire Kingdom, and my brother is already giving me advice on ruling a kingdom."

Sighing, Kakashi leaned forward and whispered, "Your brother is on an important mission to the land of lightning as we speak. He has explained everything to you in this letter." The nobleman handed Sasuke a srcoll with the royal seal stamped onto the paper. He took it and attempted to unravel the letter but Kakashi interrupted. "I think it wise to read it when you are alone."

The prince grunted in agreement and Kakashi resumed, "Now, about the area." He started to speak in his normal tone. "To the north is the road back to your parent's palace, the east is the fields of rice, West is the Lake of Winds that is tied to the River of Winds. The name came along when people realized that it flowed from the north, empties into a lake in the west, and continues down South just like the wind. Always changing directions. Anyway, the south mainly contains the Lost Forest."

"Is that supposed to intimidate commoners?"

"No, but it has a legend. Many years ago, people used to get lost because it is so vast and ever changing. One day, a certain spot is filled with trees, and the next day, it is a clearing. Of course, not as many people get lost today. In addition to the ever changing landscape, some have said to have seen young women, forest spirits, lurking in the shadows."

Sasuke arched his eyebrows, intrigued by the legend. "Hmmm, we'll see just how haunted this forest is." If this was a challenge, Sasuke was willing to accept it.

Kakashi chuckled, "I've never seen you have an adventurous streak before. Just go during, autumn. You still need to plan a banquet to celebrate your arrival."

"I hate throwing parties that have no uses."

"But you're the crown prince. So suck it up and don't complain. I need to get home now. See you later, Sasuke," Kakashi waved and disappeared in a cloud of dust.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, what's up?I forgot to post my inspiration for the last chapter, so here goes:**

**Inspiration: Lady and the Tramp**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Hinata does. And I don't own Lady or Tramp. Darling and Jim Dear own those dogs.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Reminisce/ Investigation**

"Hmmm… Sakura, do you have a jack?"

"Goldfish! I win!"

"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!" Temari threw her cards into the air. Flashes of color floated towards the thatched floor of the tree house. "I hate this game," she stated while regaining her composure.

"Aw, don't be a sore loser, Temari-chan," Tenten cheered.

A knock sounded from the outside world. It was soft, but loud enough for the girls to hear. Who had found their secret haven? Sakura crept towards the door, and parted the curtains.

"Oh hello, Hinata. What are you doing here?" Sakura greeted with a friendly smile.

Shyly, Hinata answered, "W-well, I was just wondering where you all were. M-may I join you?" She twiddled her fingers as if she were a child.

Sakura's smile grew wider. "Of course, Hinata! You're a good friend to us. Come in, come in." She sat back in her spot and made room for her friend.

"Hinata! I'm so glad you're here!" Ino welcomed.

"T-thanks," she stuttered.

"Oh my gosh!" Ino shouted.

"What?" Everyone asked.

"You girls haven't admitted who you all like," Ino snickered. "Well?"

Tenten gave in. "Okay, well… I was thinking about… Neji. He looks like a strong shinobi." She blushed deeply.

Hinata perked up, inquiring, "My cousin?" Tenten nodded.

"Why Neji?" Temari asked, shifting her position before continuing. "He's so… serious. I don't think he ever smiled or laughed in his lifetime."

Sakura laughed. "At least he's one of the strongest. How about you Temari? Apparently, the serious type is not in your favor."

Temari smirked, "Got that right, Princess. I like a guy that lets me hold the spear in a relationship."

Turning red, Ino started giggling madly. "Shut up, Ino. Don't be so perverted." Ino kept bowled over in a laughing fit. Sakura threw a pillow at the blonde, _hard_. As quickly as she started, Ino stopped. "Anyway," Temari resumed, "my guy has to be smart. I'm putting my bets on Shikamaru Nara."

"That lazy guy?" Tenten cried out.

"Deer boy?" Sakura exclaimed. Her mouth hung wide open. A cocky smile from Temari answered the rosette.

Hinata's posture started to stiffen when Ino cackled, "Hinata, you haven't confessed… _yet_."

The blue haired girl gazed at the pattern on the rug. She gave a small smile and explained her situation. "I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but Shizune-sama hasn't given me any days to myself for the past month. She's been keeping me busy by telling me to go pick herbs for the winter. Today, I got done as fast as I could and left the shrine before she could tell me to do anything else."

"Hmm…so, you haven't been able to meet anyone at all?" Sakura assumed. Poor Hinata. Learning to become a medical ninja is much harder on the body and the spirit than training to become a regular warrior. "That's all right Hinata-chan. I remember when Lady Tsunade kept me shut inside my room to study. In fact, she still quizzes me whenever I'm off guard." The rosette smiled warmly to provide extra support and comfort.

"Remember the time when we hated boys? We thought they were stupid-"

"Icky."

"And boring!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

"So much has changed in these few years." Hinata commented.

Ino raised her fingers, muttering, "Me, Tenten, Temari, and Hinata. That leaves you, Princess. Who do you want to win the tournament? After all, the winner has the privilege to be the first to ask your hand in marriage."

Sakura looked down at the rug, studying the intricate patterns. She had had a crush before, but she was never in love with him. The boy she had a crush on turned out to be a fake at everything he once was. A flashback played the scene in her head, she allowed it to run.

"_You've been lying to us all!" Sakura screamed at the boy. "You didn't defend the village when that swarm of viper spiders attacked us. All you did was bribe that Aburame kid to control them like a puppeteer and make you look like a hero." Her face was hot from the fire raging inside of her._

_The boy glared back at her. "Sorry if I disappointed you, Princess, but I can't help it if I don't want to be a shinobi! All I want to do is paint! No one can respect me for that! No one! What else was I supposed to do when everyone thinks I'm useless? You don't understand my life."_

_Smack! Sakura had slapped the dark haired boy across the face. "Yes, I do know what it's like to be useless. But, you know what? I trained harder to be better than everyone else in the village. You don't have an excuse to be like this."_

_Silence passed between the children. He turned, and walked away. "Forget it, Sai!" Sakura yelled. "As long as you don't have the will to defend your home, then you will never become a ninja or a man!" She turned, whipping her long, pink hair in the winter wind. _

_The fire inside of her was blazing stronger now that the argument had drawn to a close. From behind, she could hear another boy talking to Sai. "Did you confess to her?" _

_And then she heard Sai angrily replying, "No. She won't fall for me. To her, I'm a fake. Now leave me alone…" _

_Snow squished beneath her leather winter boots as she headed off to her chambers. Some time alone would allow her to extinguish the fire. It burned her heart, but she knew it would heal. After all, she did not see any worth inside of Sai anymore. He was a fake with less motivation than Shikamaru, the laziest kid in the world. At least Sakura now saw Sai's true identity before she had made the mistake of confessing her crush to him. _

That was three and a half years ago, and she had moved on to more important things to think about such as her friends, hunting, and practicing to become the best medical kunoichi. She looked up at her friends. "Actually, I don't know who I prefer. There just doesn't seem to be anyone that has captured me… yet. I would love to meet the champion of the tournament, but… I don't know if I would love him or not. I have no connections with any man."

Ino reassured her, "We will see about that. Besides, the Dragon Tournament starts in the spring, so you have all winter to find that prince charming."

The moon was battling the sun for the sky again when the kunoichis made their way back to the village. "Would I ever meet a man worth my time? I wonder what it feels to truly love." Sakura wondered curiously. Quietly, she slipped into her chambers and began to get ready for dinner.

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Early rays of sunshine filled the royal chambers of the crown prince. Sasuke sat up in bed and turned to see the scroll Kakashi had given him the other day lying on his nightstand. These days have been so busy that I have not been able to read my brother's message, he thought to himself. Quietly so as not to disturb anyone, Sasuke unrolled the parchment and read:

_Dear Sasuke,_

_I apologize for leaving without telling you, but an urgent mission has come abroad. So, I hurried home and found some grave news. Father has been found guilty of treason against the Third Hokage. At first, I didn't think this was true, but I couldn't deny it when I saw the evidence and heard Father's confession. Mother is now sick and bedridden. Doctors hover over her constantly, and won't allow me to see her._

_The whole palace is a mess. I must take father's place just to keep the public calm, for they constantly panic in the streets. Once peace has been restored, I plan to leave the throne and move the capital to the new palace. As you know, Kakashi is with you now, and he shall fill my place as your advisor until I return._

_Oh, and I have heard about this banquet you are to attend. For god's sake please try to look for a suitable woman and talk to people! A good king must socialize with as many potential allies as he can. Have a dance or two with the women. How bad can it be? Do not shrivel up in your room just because you hate parties! And try to keep Naruto out of trouble. The Third Hokage is getting older and plans to retire sometime. Heed my words and follow Kakashi-sensei's advice._

_Your Brother,_

_Itachi Uchiha_

_P.S. If this message has somehow been intercepted then prepare to die from a raging ball of black fire. _

_P.S.S If this is you, Sasuke, reading this, then would you be so kind as to activate the sharingan to prevent yourself from being blown to bits? This message will still burn to ashes. Let me know when you have received this so I don't have to write another letter and seal a jutsu within the paper. You should now have 5-4-3- _

Before he read any further, Sasuke wadded the scroll into a ball and threw it as far from himself as possible while activating his sharingan. His eyes changed from an onyx black to a blood red. The letter floated in the air for a split second before disintegrating into the air. Only scraps of ashes were left of it on the perfectly polished wooden floor. That would have been bad if he hadn't warned me, Sasuke thought to himself. Soon, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Sasuke answered.

A butler shuffled inside his room and announced, "Your majesty, breakfast shall be served in a half hour."

Sasuke nodded politely and changed into a fresh pair of trousers and a faded blue jacket with a white shirt. He walked calmly down the stairs and into the dining hall where he saw his blonde friend slurping down his third bowl of morning ramen. Naruto peered up from his breakfast and waved to the prince. Sasuke sat down across from Naruto, and a servant brought him a bowl of rice, miso soup, a plate of grilled fish, and a rolled omelet.

Between his noisy slurps, Naruto managed to ask, "So- _slurp_- Where are we going- _slurp_- today?"

Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose to prevent himself from going mad at Naruto's obnoxious noise. "I don't know. What are you planning to do?" Honestly, Sasuke didn't want to anything but get away from the castle. Arranging and decorating the castle for a banquet wasn't a pleasant pastime to him, and he wouldn't disobey his brother by doing this. After all, Itachi hadn't covered planning for the wretched banquet.

Some actual thought seemed to take place in the blonde's empty skull before he replied, "I like exploring the village. Maybe we can find out more information on those forest spirits. And after that, we could spar together."

"Hn."

"Was that a yes or a no?"

Once he finished his breakfast, a maid handed Sasuke a cloak, and he walked briskly out of the dining hall. The autumn air was cool with leaves blowing in the occasional wind. He heard Naruto scampering after him with a cloak of his own flapping violently in the wind. Sasuke pulled over his hood and set off into the village.

"Oi, Sasuke, where are we going?" Naruto asked.

"No idea."

"So we are walking around aimlessly! What if we get lost?" Naruto panicked.

"Then we jump on the roofs and look for the castle to lead us back home. Have you forgotten your training already, Dobe?" Sasuke replied acidly.

"O-oh. My bad, Sasuke. Heh, Heh," the idiotic blonde smiled embarrassingly and rubbing the back of his head: a habit he had formed since he was a child.

It was midday when Sasuke finally allowed them to sit at a bar. Naruto sighed gratefully for the rest and ordered a bowl of duck ramen. Being tired of ramen, Sasuke ate a bowl of rice with fish and assorted vegetables. "Eww… Veggies," Naruto shuddered.

"Shut up. Just by watching you eat makes me sick of ramen." Sasuke retorted.

So far, he hadn't found any other information than what he had known from the other villagers. The women wouldn't answer him because they were too busy gawking at him, the men didn't know anything more than Kakashi, and the children were absolutely clueless. Naruto tried asking a dog, but that didn't turn out well.

Trying to make a conversation, Naruto said, "I wonder if those forest spirits are real. We should check that out sometime, but definitely not today. It would be dusk by the time we would step out of the forest and I would hate to encounter an angry spirit at night."

"Well, well, well. Looks like someone can't stay out of the palace," said a calm, lazy voice. Sasuke turned around to see Kakashi standing behind him. "I don't see why you are always out. If I were you, I'd stick to my duties." With such immaturity, Naruto snickered at that last word.

"Did you follow us?" Sasuke asked, clearly annoyed.

"Heh, not really. I saw you kids coming into this restaurant." The nobleman's face soon grew serious. "But I did hear that you kids want to know more about the forest spirits." He sat down next to Naruto and waved to a waiter. "I'll have a cup of jasmine tea and an order of sweet dumplings, please," Kakashi ordered. The maid immediately left to fill his order.

"So," Sasuke started. "You knew more than what you were telling us the other day. What else do we need to know before we venture into the forest?"

Quickly, the waitress scurried over to their table and handed Kakashi his meal. After a sip of his tea, Kakashi answered, "Legend says that they can easily be angered, especially around men matching their age. If you must talk to them, then don't ever challenge the forest spirits. They are skilled warriors and tend to not let a man leave."

"Wow, they must love us," Naruto joked sarcastically.

"As I was saying," Kakashi continued. "The spirits seem to resent men and the survivors report that ones who were captured were sent to death." Naruto and Sasuke waited for more information, but Kakashi said, "My speech is done now, but you may want to leave the restaurant before she sees you, Sasuke."

The two boys twisted around and saw a terrible sight to see. A redheaded girl with black glasses was yelling at another customer. "Where is Sasuke-kun? I know the prince is somewhere in this village. Don't lie to me!" That demanding tone of obsession could only belong to Karin.

"I-I think the prince is at the palace. I-isn't that where he is supposed to be?" the customer replied.

"NO! I can sense his chakra in this building." She screeched.

Naruto yelped, "Run, Sasuke! Run for your ice cube life!" At that, the prince was just a flash of blue in the wind. Karin glanced in Naruto's direction, giving him an evil grin. "On second thought, wait for me!" The blonde became another flash, running as fast as he could behind his friend. In a matter of seconds, he managed to leave the redhead in his dust.

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**My cousin's my editor now and she came up with that last bit of dialogue. If you have any suggestions, please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, so i updated all these chapters within the same hour. So what? My cousin's gettin on my nerves right now, and she's only a year younger than me! **

**Inspiration: ****Artemis/Diana. She is the greek/roman goddess of the hunt and young maidens. You could say that she inspired me to write this whole story. Well, Artemis/Diana and Pochahontas. Did I spell Pochahontas right?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. (punches wall) I wish I was related to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Well, Enjoy!**

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**The Hunt/ Collision of two worlds**

"There, a perfect outfit to wear to the Dragon Tournament," Tsunade commented as she tied the jade colored sash onto Sakura's red outfit. "You know, phoenixes are a symbol of a beautiful bride."

Sakura faced the elongated mirror that stood before her. A rosette stared back at her. She was dressed in a short, red kimono with golden phoenix's flying across the silk fabric while cherry blossoms dotted the open spaces. Her jade sash was the exact color of her eyes and complemented them just right. Beneath her low cut dress, Sakura wore a pair of dark green shorts that fitted tight to her body and reached just above her knee. Tsunade tied her shoulder length hair into a half ponytail. "Just look at you," Tsunade breathed. "You remind me of myself when I attended the tournament. Well, I guess you should run along now to break into that outfit. Patrol the borders will, you? I'm sure it's a little too tight and stiff for you to be comfortable."

"Are you sure, Tsunade-sama? Won't I ruin it?" Sakura asked unsurely.

Lady Tsunade sighed deeply. "Just don't go hunting or do any heavy training. And, it would be nice if you were careful not to snag it on a twig."

At that, Sakura bounded outside to meet her friends near the tree house. There, she found Hinata, Temari, Tenten, and Ino wearing lavish outfits. Hinata wore a sky blue kimono with butterflies that flowed down to her ankles. In addition to her dress, a white trim was sewn around the edges, and a violet sash greatly brought out her opal eyes.

Temari was sporting a daring short sleeved, black kimono with pink trim and sash. Her four pigtails were decorated with pink and black ribbons.

Being herself, Ino had a dark purple, sleeveless dress plus countless lily patterns sewn in, and it cut off at her mid calf. Underneath, she wore a skirt that came down at the same length as the dress, almost invisible to see. In her hair, Ino had clematis strapped into her silvery blonde ponytail's ribbon.

Tenten wore a green, Chinese styled dressed showing off _clean_ white sleeves. It had a high collar, a golden sash to add a Japanese flare, and a design containing three ferns at the corner of her dress. Of course, she wore white pants underneath. Gold ribbons flowed in downward spirals attached to her two buns.

"You too, huh?" Sakura remarked as she neared her fellow warriors. They nodded.

"I absolutely hate the feel of new clothing. It itches all the freakin' time!" Tenten complained loudly.

"No kidding!" Temari agreed while tugging at her sash as if it were a snake.

"Lady Tsunade has ordered us to patrol the borders WITHOUT ruining our outfits. This means you, Tenten!" Sakura directed. The brunette smiled mischievously at her. She placed her right hand on her hip and shifted her weight. "I think we should start at the western border. Then, we will work our way due East until we reach the river, and pass by the northern border instead of the usual Southern route. Strange, I know, but I've heard that Kurenai- sensei has changed her afternoon walking route because of the strange noises she claims to have heard coming from outside the forest."

Without complaint, Sakura's patrol squad moved out. Leaping from tree to tree, the five girls talked more about the Dragon Tournament. Sakura could feel the stiff silk stretch and begin to relax on her.

"Are you serious? We'll get killed in there!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs. "I mean, did you not hear that noise? Even Kakashi-sensei didn't like the looks of this forest. Why don't we just go train or something? Yeah, that's it. This adventure is too boring for us. What could possibly be bene… bene… good for us?" Nervous drops of sweat beaded his forehead.

For a while, Sasuke glared at the idiot. "Beneficial is that word you're looking for," he said as he walked briskly onto the dirt path. Silence seemed to give them a welcoming shun into the forest.

The silence was soon getting the better of Naruto. "Why are you so curious about the legend? And why does it have to be in this spooky forest. Let's go back, Sasuke."

Once more, the prince turned on his friend. "There are these two good words you need to learn, Naruto. Shut up! And do you know why Kakashi-sensei looked that way?" Before Naruto could answer, Sasuke continued, "Because he's challenging us, and his appearance is part of the act. He's probably watching us somewhere in the trees or the bushes, and I won't back down from a challenge as simple as this one. Besides, you're not scared are you?"

"No way!" Naruto shouted a little too loudly. Sasuke hit him on the head with his fist as a warning then continued walking quietly into the forest. Shortly, Naruto followed him without another sound.

Sakura stopped short too suddenly, causing Ino and Tenten to collide with her. "Oomph!" They grunted in unison. "What's going on? Why did you stop?"

The rosette scanned her surroundings in a fighting stance. Sensing her wariness, they strained their ears, listening to every movement the forest made. Squirrels scratched the bark of a nearby pine tree. Red leaves rustled on a maple sapling. "Must have been my imagination because I thought I heard something suspicious," Sakura muttered. "Let's keep patrolling."

To change the subject, Ino mentioned, "Have you girls noticed that we don't have separate names for our two villages. Sure we say we are the Leaf village, but there are two villages with that claim the same name."

"You're right Ino. Are you going to setup a name for the two villages once you become queen, Sakura?" Temari asked.

After a few more minutes, Sakura heard that dubious noise. Again, Ino and Tenten crashed into her. "What now? Did you come across a good name?" Ino complained.

"I hear that noise again," Sakura replied. "Don't you hear it, too? It's similar to an animal walking on the dirt path, but it sounds different: humanlike."

"Yes," Tenten and Ino agreed.

A soft breeze traveled in their direction. Temari sniffed the air deeply. "The wind certainly doesn't bring any scents of an animal in that direction," she added. "Hinata, what do you see?"

"G-give me a minute," Hinata requested. She closed her opal eyes in concentration. "Byakugan!" Veins sprouted around her eyes as she called upon the Hyugga clan's bloodline trait. "Hmmm… To the north, I see… two men, but they don't look like the ones in the male village. Possibly travelers."

"Are they hot?" Ino asked with a wicked grin on her face.

Hinata's face flushed red as she asked, "U- uh… well… that depends on what you are interested in, Ino."

Temari chuckled, "Aren't you in love with Kiba? Or was that just puppy love and you've decided that you want another breed?" Tenten and Sakura snickered with her.

Relaxed, Ino retorted, "No. There's a difference between thinking a guy is hot and being in love with him. I'm just curious that's all. And since the Dragon Tournament hasn't arrived yet, it's okay to point out a guy's hotness." She crossed her arms in a childlike manner. Even though she tried to stay calm, she couldn't control the redness of her face or the pace of her speeding heart rate.

"Whatever," Sakura snapped. "Travelers are up to no good in our forest. Time to investigate!" Sakura sprang from her tree branch without a sound. Her friends trailed after her. The hunt had begun.

In a few short bounds, she reached her destination. Quietly, Sakura and her friends hugged the trees for cover. Sakura peered around the trunk of her tree and saw the intruders. Two men dressed in foreign clothing walked along the dirt path. They were arguing with each other, but the man with the black hair didn't seem to be interested in the argument. However, the blonde was steamed.

"I can't believe you just decided to go out on a random adventure like this, Sasuke!" He yelled in fury. "If we step into the wrong place, I swear, we'll get killed by a forest spirit's booby trap. Hehehehe, I said booby. Hahahahahaha!" The blonde one chuckled to himself. Obviously, the tenseness within his words was wiped clean by that perverted comment, and his wicked grin added a comic relief to his face.

"Shut up, Naruto," the one called Sasuke said. Sakura couldn't help but stare into his face. His eyes were as black as his hair, and he seemed to have a calm yet powerful aura about him. To Naruto, he whispered, "We have company."

Sakura caught her breath sharply. She and her friends were silent the entire time and Sakura's heartbeat neither rose nor fall. How could he have sensed their presence? Discretely, she motioned for only Hinata to follow her as she leapt down from her perch. Hinata didn't dare to touch the ground beside the men. Instead, she stood on the lowest branch of her pine tree while Sakura knelt into the ground in front of Sasuke.

"AAHHH! A forest spirit! Sasuke, they came to eat us! Let's go!" Naruto yelped like a startled mouse.

He turned to run, but Sasuke grabbed the back of his jacket with the speed of lightning. "Wait," he commanded in a serious tone.

"Because your friend doesn't seem to be the brave type, I'll assume that you are in charge. So, I will ask, who are you?" Sakura demanded as she rose from the dirt path. "And why are you here? Trespassers of your kind are not approved of."

"I am Uchiha Sasuke," he answered. Pointing to Naruto, he added, "And this is Uzumaki Naruto, but you already knew our names before that greeting."

Hinata watched intently as Sakura interrogated the strangers. I hope a fight can be avoided, she thought to herself. She stole a glance back at her friends and saw Ino literally drooling at the sight of Sasuke. Tenten smiled as well, but Temari scrutinized the men with disgust. Quickly, she turned her attention back to Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto.

Uchiha Sasuke opened his mouth again, asking, "Now that I have introduced myself and my friend, I will ask, who are you?"

Sakura still held her interrogation face as she retorted with a firm voice, "You didn't answer my other question. Why are you here? My kind doesn't appreciate nosy people in our territory."

Without flinching, Sasuke answered coolly, "Nosy, huh? Curious is a better word. I was curious as to whether or not you girls existed. To my kingdom, you are myth. But, I can see you are real and not forest spirits."

"Ha!" Sakura snickered. She walked up to Naruto, but still kept her eyes on Sasuke. "Cleary, if I was a forest spirit, I wouldn't be able to do this," Sakura flicked Naruto on the forehead and he flew into the trunk of a tree. Its leaves quivered violently and fell to the ground. She watched him stare at her in shock, and she knew that he did not dare get up from his seated positioned. "By the way," the rosette continued dramatically, "My name is Haruno Sakura, Warrior Princess of the Leaf village and that is all you need to know about me. Leave!"

In a flash, Sakura threw a smoke bomb onto the ground, signaling to the rest of her fellow kunoichis. They raced into the shadows of the forest and left the men. Sakura didn't look back until she reached the tree house. Panting, she turned to her friends. "That was strange wasn't it?"

"Uh, heck yeah!" Tenten exclaimed. "What was that all about?"

"I think Sasuke was hot!" Ino drooled.

"N-naruto seemed to be quite brave," Hinata added. All the attention turned to Hinata as she blushed. "W-what? He stood his ground… mentally at Sakura's mercy and he stayed with his friend. I can tell he's a loyal person just by reading his face and movements."

"Anyway, why did you tell them your name?" Temari asked, changing the subject.

For a minute, Sakura thought to herself. Why did she give her name? The foreigners would never see her again and she was a princess. She was a warrior princess, in fact, and she was in a higher class than those travelers. Wait a minute! If they were travelers, then why didn't they carry any baggage? This gave her an idea.

"Follow me," she commanded. Sakura sprinted towards the north again. Her friends flanked her left and right side forming a defensive, upside down "V" in their run. She dodged trees and braches in her path. When her she darted off the path, Sakura concentrated her chakra to her feet and effortlessly dashed up the trunk of a tree.

"Wait up, Sakura-chan!" Ino called.

However, Sakura didn't stop until she reached the edge of the forest. A vast, grassy landscape stretched out before her. A bustling village and a grand castle were nestled in the middle of the fields. "Temari, did you clear this area with your fan when you collected firewood last week?" She asked.

"N-no," Temari stammered as she stared in shock at the sudden change in geography.

Sakura faced her four friends and declared, "Then it seems we have neighbors. Those men weren't travelers because they didn't carry anything but the clothing on their backs. Just as they said, they were seeking us out. I don't think they meant any harm, but we should report to Tsunade-sama. Move out!"

Once Sakura finished explaining the day's report to Lady Tsunade, everyone sat in silence. The tea Sakura's hand was filling her body with extra warmth and energy. Lady Tsunade stared hard at the green mat she sat on. After a while, she announced, "I need some time to think about this. When I reach a conclusion, I'll send for you girls. You are dismissed."

That night, Sakura couldn't help but think of Sasuke. The raven hair, the cool voice, the black eyes. He wasn't a part of the male village. Like a dragon, he had come out of nowhere. That's it, Sakura mumbled to herself, that's what the men's village should be called. After all, the Dragon Tournament was used solely for the men. The men's village would be named the Dragon village.

She looked down at her own dress. And of course, she resumed, our village would be called the Phoenix village. Tomorrow, she would present her idea to Lady Tsunade and get orders from her concerning the strangers' kingdom.

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**Please review and comment!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey peoples! Here's the 6th chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, then I would hook up and marry Hinata, (raises voice) and Sasuke would come back to the village, (screams at top of lungs) and Madara would drop dead like a fly along with Danzou!!! Seriously, those two are really old!!!**

**Enjoy!**

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**Enter: Sai/ Names**

Sasuke leaned on the balcony railings overlooking the private courtyard, thinking to himself. Sakura's name fit her features perfectly. Her hair was the exact color of the cherry blossoms when they are in bloom. Sasuke couldn't believe that the legends were true. The forest harbored at least five young girls, but they didn't seem to be as harsh as Kakashi sensei had told. If Sakura wanted to be unwelcoming, then she would have fought with him and Naruto. Instead, she warned them to stay out and told them to leave peacefully. She may have been stern with her voice, but there was not a hostile trace in her eyes. As an alternative, those green eyes retained a beauty he did not see in other girls. Village girls with green eyes would usually have the taint of grey. Sakura's eyes were the color of pure green jade. And, she wasn't a commoner, but a warrior princess. How could a girl with such a pure eye color be a warrior?

The sky darkened with the disappearance of the sun and the village filled the night with music. No matter how sweet the music was, Sasuke couldn't shake her out of his mind. In fact, the music seemed bitter compared to her image. He had to see her again. There was something in her that intrigued him, and it wasn't just her beauty. What was this feeling inside him? He had never felt this way before. Then again, he may just be even more curious about her life. Why did they hide themselves from other people?

His thoughts were interrupted from another knock at his door. Again, it was the servant who dared to bother him. "Your Majesty," he began, "Would you care to join us for dinner tonight? We have some important news to discuss concerning the banquet."

"Hn, I will be there in a few minutes," Sasuke replied. When the servant left, he changed into a fresh, dark blue kimono and reluctantly headed down the long stairwell.

"Good evening, Sasuke. I'm glad you could join us tonight," a voice greeted as Sasuke rounded the corner into the dining hall. Immediately, he stopped in mid-stride. Who could sense his presence when he hadn't even stepped into the room? Looking into the hall, Sasuke saw a man with silver hair dressed in a blue and green formal kimono.

"Hello Kakashi-sensei. Why are you in the palace?"

"Well, you didn't expect me to train Naruto and serve as your advisor without living in the palace, did you?" Kakashi responded just as Naruto waltzed into the dining hall.

"Whoa! Hi, Kakashi-sensei! I didn't know you were here," the blonde exclaimed. Naruto was dressed in a bright orange kimono that stood out like a sore thumb.

"Nice to see you, too, Naruto," Kakashi beamed. He turned his attention back to Sasuke, "Anyway, I've been in this palace all along. You just didn't see me at all because I was busy supervising the decoration for the banquet which was supposed to be Sasuke's job."

"Wow! I never thought you would bunk in with us, sensei. How's the banquet going to be like? Will there be ramen?" Naruto asked ever so eagerly. He leaned closer for an answer.

"Uh… sure," Kakashi replied. "Nevertheless, you must attend the banquet, Sasuke. Networking is important to a king. Oh and then there's choosing a queen. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet the love of your life during this banquet."

"Ooh, Sasuke might fall in love!" Naruto cried out. "Then he could write love letters to the special girl!" Sasuke choked on his drink started coughing.

"Or sing poems!" Kakashi chuckled.

"And when he thinks of her, he'll blush like a rose!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!"

Just then, a maid scurried into the dining hall. "Your majesty and noblemen, a guest has arrived at the palace gates. I let him in and he is now waiting in the parlor. Shall I send him in now?"

Sasuke nodded and instantly, a teenager with black hair and skin as white as paper walked into the room. "Good evening, Your Majesty. I am Sai."

"SAI! What are you doing here?" Naruto shouted.

"Naruto… it's been awhile," Sai said.

"What business do you have here?" Sasuke asked unemotionally.

"Your Majesty, I was sent by the hokage, Danzou. The hokage wanted me to map the area of the new capital of the Land of Fire. I am an expert painter and artist, Your Majesty. Prince Itachi also wanted me to deliver this message to you," Sai explained as he handed a scroll to Sasuke. On it was Itachi's royal seal.

"Very well," Sasuke replied as he took the scroll from him. "Kakashi-sensei, is there anything else important enough to tell me concerning the banquet? I was told by the servant that there was much information to discuss."

"No, not really," Kakashi admitted. "I ordered that servant to tell you that so you would come down for dinner. You can be very antisocial sometimes."

Great, Sasuke thought sarcastically, just another scam to annoy me. After dinner, Sasuke made his way to his room and sat down on a luxury arm chair. He lit a candle and opened his brother's letter.

_Dear Sasuke,_

_I can't believe you didn't write back to me! Oh well, Kakashi has already informed me that you received my last letter. I know Sai has delivered this message, too. I don't trust him because he works for Danzou. Don't trust him either. Not yet. _

_Things are getting very complicated at home. Mother is still alive, thankfully. Father is well… you already know about his death. I think I'll take a break from all this mess before the banquet. I want to see my little brother with a pretty girl. Ha, ha! Too bad that's a little far fetched for now. _

_You know, the new capital needs a name for itself. What do you think of the name, Konohagakure? Konoha for short. _

_Your brother,_

_Itachi_

_P.S. You know the procedure… 9...8…7-_

Sasuke's eyes turned to a blood red color as he wadded up the scroll into a paper ball and hurled it as far as the balcony. POP! The letter exploded and ascended into the wind like a grey ghost. Ashes sprinkled onto the cold wooden floor. The candle flickered violently then returned to its blazing pattern.

I'll have to keep an eye on Sai and find out his motives, Sasuke thought. Plus, I need to see Sakura again.

* * *

Pitter patter, pitter patter. The rain turned the sky grey in a soothing way without a single clap of thunder or lightning. Tsunade slid open her back door to view the scenery behind her humble palace. She always enjoyed calming weather like today, and she always took pleasure in drinking at a time like this, even if it was before lunch. Despite the placid scenery, the village leader was interrupted by a rude knock at her door. Annoyed, she demanded, "Who is it?"

"Sakura."

Tsunade sighed, "Come in, Sakura." Once the rosette was seated next to her, Tsunade took another sip of warm sake. "Did I not tell you that I would send for you and your team when I have made my choice?"

"W-well… yes, you have… but…" Sakura stammered like her shy friend, Hinata.

"But?" Tsunade gently urged with a hint of firmness in her voice.

"Tsunade-sama, I have noticed that for some time, we have never bothered with naming the village of the men nor the women. We all just refer to ourselves as part of the village hidden in the leaves," Sakura began.

With a calm expression, Tsunade turned to her granddaughter. "I know where this is going. You want to name the two districts. Which names are you proposing?"

"The kunoichi district can be named the phoenix, and the men can bear the name of the dragon."

Silence settled itself in between the two kunoichis. Tsunade took a breathe, "OH THAT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL IDEA!!!! I just love how you think Sakura!"

"Really?"

With a calmer tone, Tsunade continued. "Names are very important. A name empowers a person, animal, or object." Sakura wore a confused expression, so the queen continued. "Just think about it. When a dog barks at the water, what do you usually think?"

Sakura thought for a minute on the subject. The picture of a brown dog standing on the banks of the river formed in her mind. It barked furiously at its mirror image in the clear water. "Hmm, I suppose the dog must have never seen its own reflection before and therefore, he or she thinks the reflection is another dog, and then the dog becomes aggressive. Kiba told me that dogs consider it a threat when others look them in the eye while facing forwards. In conclusion, the dog does not recognize its own reflection, unlike humans, monkeys, and apes."

Tsunade rolled her eyes at the rosette. "Oi vey. Sakura, I just wanted a clean answer, not an essay response. But yes, you are correct, as usual. But what do you think when Akamaru is the one who is barking at the water?"

"Well, I would suppose that Akamaru has seen a fish or something in the water. Oh! I see what you mean, Tsunade-sama!"

The queen smiled at her pupil. "So, if we name the two districts, the people will feel empowered by the name. It seems corny and childish, but it really works. You can propose this to the people at dinner tonight."

Delighted, Sakura happily bounced to the door as if she were a little girl again.

Tsunade called out to her playfully, "Now get out of my chambers. I want to enjoy the rain."

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama!" Sakura replied and ran outside.

Too bad Tsunade didn't get to enjoy the rain for long. In a matter of minutes, she summoned Sakura and her friends. All five girls gathered inside the room, sitting side by side. "Ugh, I really wish the rain would have lasted an hour longer. Oh well. Now that my break time is gone with the rain, I have made my decision. You girls are to patrol the borders when you are not helping the village prepare for winter. So, I need Tenten to hunt for a deer and goose, and Hinata will gather herbs for healing. Ino, some of the elders need help preserving the food so you will help them. And for goodness sake, Temari, start training your student already! Sakura, I need you to patrol the northern border. Stay close to each other just in case Sakura needs some back up."

"Hai!" They all answered at once.

Tenten raced along the dirt path. Already, she had caught the first deer, and now she was chasing the white goose. It flew into the afternoon sky, dodging all her weapons. "AHHH! Just drop dead already!" Tenten screamed as she launched another kunai at the bird. "That's it! No more Ms. Nice Side of Tenten!"

The brunette leapt onto a tree branch, flinging from tree to tree. With an envied grace, the white goose flapped his glorious white wings and soared higher into the blue. They came closer and closer to the river. Instinctively, the goose dove towards the water.

"Wrong move!" Tenten shouted with glee as she sprung off of a tree branch. She quickly pulled out her steel wires and shurikens from her pouch. Flicking her wrists, she sent the sharp weapons flying past the bird, already attached to the wires. Again, the weapons expert flicked her wrists with ease. Two steel wires wrapped themselves around the great white beast. "Gotcha! I am Tenten! Master Huntress! HAHAHA!"

Hinata sat cross-legged on the grass, picking the herbs gingerly off the ground. The sun warmed her back after the occasional cold breeze blew onto her. Goosebumps covered her arms even though she was wearing a jacket. She decided to work quickly and picked up her pace, still cautious as to not damage the precious plants.

Approximately fifteen minutes passed by when she was done gathering the herbs. And only five passed when she heard a rustle from the bushes. "Y-you," the priestess stammered in complete shock.

"Put this here, Ino."

"No, put it over there."

"Help me with this, Ino."

"Ugh! There's only one of me! Elder Chiyo, where do you want this pot? I can only hold it for so long!" Ino complained. Helping out the other women wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. In fact, it proved to be more challenging than trying to catch a fish with her bare hands. She had to keep her voice at a respectable level and do exactly what they said.

Elder Chiyo finally made up her mind after ten solid minutes. "Put back in the storage shack. I don't need it anymore. Fetch the blue one instead."

"But both pots are blue."

"Well, I need the other one!"

Ino set the pot down with great care when she entered the storage shack. THUD! "Oww, my back! Eww, I feel like an old person now!" She moaned pitifully. Why am I stuck with this job, she asked herself.

"Good job, Matsuri," Temari encouraged as she dodged the jouhyou. "I see Gaara taught you well." Both kunoichis panted from the tiring training until Temari declared, "I think we can have a break right now."

"Sweet! I could use something to eat," the student exclaimed as she lied on the ground.

Temari studied her student with pride. Already, she was learning to master the rope dart. Matsuri's mousy brown hair barely reached her shoulders. Her black eyes focused back on Temari, as she handed her student a canteen of water.

"I guess having a late lunch is okay. Just don't eat too much," Temari cautioned.

"Okay."

The teacher handed her pupil a rice ball while chewing on one herself. "So, I've heard that you were once afraid of weapons. When did you overcome that phobia?" Please don't mention Gaara, Temari wished to herself. We've talked about my brother for an hour already!

Matsuri replied, "Gaara helped me."

"Ugh, you talk about Gaara a lot. Tell me are you interested in my brother by any chance?"

"W-what makes you say that, Sensei? We just hang out a lot. Most kids don't like being near him, but since he helped me overcome my fears, I found out that he isn't as bad as most people say. He's really calm and not creepy at all-"

"You are a terrible liar, Matsuri."

"Yeah, I know. Rambling is my biggest habit when I lie," Matsuri admitted to her teacher.

"Sounds like someone's finally taking responsibility in training her first student," a voice called from the shadows.

POW! The tree fell to the ground as if lightning had struck the earth. "I know you're here. Come out and show yourself!" Sakura shouted.

A rustle came from the bushes and out came the raven haired suspect. "You seem to have a lot of strength to have knocked the tree down. Impressive."

"Uchiha Sasuke," she whispered in astonishment.

"So, you remembered my name, Princess Sakura," came his response.

"And I see you have remembered mine."

"Your name is not that hard to forget. After all, you fit your name perfectly."


	7. Chapter 7

**ALRIGHT! 7th chapter is up and running!**

**Disclaimer: Kitty Uchiha does not own Naruto or any manga or anime or even a friggin' pony! So don't blame me for anything.**

**Enjoy COCA-COLA. I mean this chapter. But its ok if you drink coke while reading this. I like coke and reading cool stuff.**

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**Games/ Troublesome**

"I guess so," Sakura responded to him. "Anyway, I have to ask. What are you doing here?" The Uchiha stared at the ground, letting his bangs fall into his flawless face. Is he thinking of an excuse, Sakura wondered?

He looked into her eyes again and said, "Well, what else is there to do nowadays?" Discretely, Sakura gave him a small smile.

"Do your people practice any fighting skills?" She asked him. He answered with a smirk drawn on his lips.

"Why don't we see how different our fighting styles are?" Sasuke suggested still with that smirk.

"Let's make a game out of it. If I land a blow on you, then you have to answer a question that I ask. If you land a blow on me, then I'll answer any one of your questions. What do you think?" The princess challenged.

CLIIIING! The sound of metal slicing against metal erupted. Quickly, Sasuke had his kunai aimed at Sakura, but evidently, she had blocked it with her own. "Wow, you're really fast," she commented just as she managed to kick him in the shin. "First question," the princess started, "Where did you come from?"

Without wincing from the pain, he answered her. "There's a village not far from here. I just moved in a few months ago. And, that wasn't my fastest speed."

"Wha- Oof" Sakura was interrupted by Sasuke knocking her off of her feet, but catching her before she hit the ground. "Why-"

"It's my turn to ask a question, Princess," Sasuke interrupted for the second time in a row. He was still holding Sakura when he asked, "When you were patrolling the forest the other day, why weren't there any men escorting you and your friends?"

Feeling insulted, Sakura retorted, "Because we can take care of ourselves! Kunoichis don't need protection from a man. Genetically, women are more powerful than men. Besides, they have to ask permission to be with a girl. Oh, and you can put me down now." Gently, he lowered her, but quickly, Sakura leaned towards the ground. Before she hit the dirt, she spun outwards in a new direction, propping herself upright and a few feet away from the Uchiha. Since Sasuke didn't react, Sakura punched the ground with her super-human strength. "SHI-," was all she heard from him when the rock crumbled beneath the battlefield, leaving deep crevices and loose rubble scattered everywhere.

Sakura found him with his leg wedged in between two boulders, trapped. "Second question! Who are you to your people?"

"I am Crown Prince, Uchiha Sasuke," he replied in a monotone voice. POOF!

"A shadow clone! Oh-"

A cool, scaly surface met her arms and wrapped around her waist like a rope. It tightened and pulled her to the ground. Snakes, she realized. The raven haired teen had used snakes to capture her under his command.

"I have a feeling that we'll cut each other off spontaneously," he mentioned. "Anyway, why does a guy need to ask permission?"

"Because women are the dominant gender in our village," she breathed. SNAP! Dead snakes fell limply to the ground. "That must not be the case in your culture."

"Hn, quite the opposite," Sasuke answered as he blocked a punch from the princess. His eyes turned blood red.

"H-how?"

"I'll give you a freebee. My family has a bloodline trait that gives us an advantage over our enemies. Other families have it, too, but the power will vary."

"I know what a bloodline trait is. But what is your family's power?"

"The sharingan. It's one of the three powerful eye specialties. With it, we can see every move, attack, response, and hand signs a person does no matter how fast they are and before they even begin their move."

"Humph, I'll be the judge of that!" Sakura challenged as she ran towards him at full speed. She feigned left, right, and left again until she was close enough. "CHA!" She exclaimed as she threw her fist at him. Dust and debris flew everywhere like a tornado. When it settled, she saw her hand clutched in Sasuke's, only three inches from his face. HE BLOCKED ME? Nobody could ever do that, she thought to herself.

"I told you, Princess," he said with a hint of smugness. A smirk played out on his lips. Swiftly, he tugged at her wrist, throwing the rosette off balance.

Sakura caught herself before her face could get smashed into the trunk of a tree, but it didn't matter. He already had a good grip on her wrist, pushing her arm into an uncomfortable position. Sakura's arm was restrained behind her back. It was a hold she hated to be caught in.

Both of them panted in exhaustion. "My last question, when can I see you again?"

Confused, Sakura asked, "What are you talking about?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, the sun is already setting," he pointed out.

"Fine, tomorrow at sun set by the river. There's a willow tree that can conceal you, and I can usually be found there when I want to be alone. Just why do you want to see me again?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," the prince whispered in her ear before he disappeared in a flash.

Tch, what a stalker, she thought to herself. A fast and strong one, too.

Tenten knelt by the water, washing the blood from her hands. She had already killed and skinned the two animals, and now she really needed a bath. Mom's going to have a fit if I come back like this, she told herself.

Quickly, she removed her shirt and pants. Ever since she was a young girl, Tenten had always worn a bathing suit underneath her clothing. Her mother never liked a dirty person in the house, so she had made Tenten take a bath before setting foot inside. It grew to be such a nuisance that Tenten decided to take a bath before returning from a mission. The small waterfall aided her by splashing at her muddy back. Once she finished, the kunoichi started cleaning the dried blood off of her precious weapons. Carefully, she scrubbed them with a strip of cloth from her pouch.

There was a sound. A twig had snapped not far from where she was, and through watery lashes, she had the feeling that someone was watching her. "Leave now or I will get you," she warned the intruder.

"Touchy," she heard the voice say. It was a male's voice. Great, she thought, I have a stalker

"Show yourself!" Tenten shouted. Out stepped a teen with long brown hair tied back in a low ponytail. In turn, Tenten angrily waded through the clear water towards the banks where he stood. "Neji! I thought you were better than this!"

"Well, I didn't expect you to start stripping in the middle of nowhere," he explained while a pink tint grew in his cheeks. "Anyway, Tsunade-sama wanted me to tell you that she needs you to hunt for one more animal. Since you were already done, I went ahead and took care of the job for you."

"Oh." Now it was her turn to blush. "Umm, thanks. Sorry about that accusation. You just caught me off guard."

"Hmpf. I guess I should leave you to yourself. If you want, I can take your kills to Tsunade-ama for you." Neji offered politely.

"Uhh, thanks. I- I'd love that," Tenten stuttered. Strange, she never stuttered before. Hinata's personality must have been rubbing off onto her.

Neji nodded and took off towards the village, pausing only to pick up the dead deer and goose. Suddenly, Tenten remembered the small amount of clothing she had on and blushed deeper. What was he thinking? What _she_ thinking? Quickly, she began to dress herself, uncomfortable of her surroundings.

"Y-you!" Hinata stammered in complete shock.

"Whoa! Hi again," Naruto greeted with a genuine smile as he stepped out of the bushes. "What are you doing out here? Surely a lady like you would get cold sooner or later."

To herself, Hinata smiled. He just made such a flattering greeting to her. She had to say something to him. For a moment, she sat there, kneeling on the ground, smiling. "I, I'm gathering herbs f-for future use. A-as for the weather, I'm fine with my jacket." Hinata paused before realization hit her. "Oh, W-what are y-you doing here? This is kunoichi territory! Surely Sakura would be very angry if she found out you managed to slip past her watch!"

Confusion spread across the blonde's face, then came realization. "OH, CRAP! Sorry about that. Will she kill me, if she catches me? I mean, I get confused sometimes, heh, heh." Silence passed between the two, each one smiling in their shy way. "So, umm, are you the… um…."

"I'm a priestess."

"Oh, I thought you were a medical ninja," Naruto responded. He sounded a little disappointed. Why?

"Well, Sakura is the primary medical ninja among my friends. Ino tried to become like her, but it didn't work out."

"So, you can't, like, I don't know… have a life?" He asked as he rubbed the back of his head with his eyes staring at the ground.

"O-only if I become the Head Priestess. B-but for now, I am as free as a bird," she looked up at him for the first time that day, and she also saw the look on his face.

"Y-you're blind," he stated bluntly, but with a questioning tone.

Giggling, Hinata explained to him, "Of course not. My family has a special bloodline trait, the Byakugan. With it, we can see a mouse up to five kilometers away."

"That is sooo cool! My friend, Sasuke, has a bloodline trait too, but it's not as cool as yours!"

"W-what is it?"

"Oh, it's just the sharingan. He can read all of your movements before you even start to move, and he can copy any move he sees without any training. But he CAN'T copy any other bloodline limit. So that sort of sucks. And what creeps me out is that when he activates it, his eyes turn red. I like your eyes a lot more than his. They're mystical." Naruto sat on the ground next to her, careful not to crush the plants she was gathering. She began collecting more herbs and he followed her around, staying out of her way, and talked about his life.

"Wow, that must be a big responsibility training to become the-the next Hokage," Hinata commented. "Do, do you ever get nervous or scared?"

"Heh, no way. I never get scared, except for when Sakura flicked me off into a tree," Naruto muttered.

"Does Sakura really scare you a lot?"

"Well, it's hard not to be scared when a really strong woman slams you into a tree and threatens to rip your innards unless you get off her territory," Naruto answered sarcastically. Hinata giggled again. Sensing her approval, he continued. "Well, at least she's not as scary as what Sasuke deals with every day. Women practically throw themselves at him, but he actually has to be polite when in public. He can't go around saying, 'I hate your guts' or 'get a life.' I don't know how he deals with it. The worst thing he's ever said to a girl was, 'you're annoying.' Except for this one girl who is completely obsessed with him."

"How obsessed are we talking about?"

"Hahahaha! Let me tell you. The first time she saw him, she ogled at him for three hours AND DROOLED ON ME WHEN I TRIED TO REACH FOR THE RAMEN SEASONING! After that first time, she stalked him for a week until he got a secret restraining order against her. Then, she snuck into his bedroom! Actually, she tried to sneak into his room, but ended up in mine!"

Hinata was in hysterics now. She was laughing so hard that her cheeks were turning red again. "H-how did that end up?"

"Just when I was starting to fall asleep, she jumped on top of me without any proper clothes on! I had to scream for security to get her off of me. Sasuke was really lucky that time."

"Oh my gosh, that, that happened to Sakura, too! She threw that boy through the screen doors and he had a black eye, three broken ribs, and a fractured arm!"

Naruto threw his head back, laughing at the sky. "It must be tough to be part of a royal family. Does Sakura have to organize banquets and ways to find a husband?"

Hinata shook her head before plucking a berry from the bush. "All that organizing is the Queen's responsibility. As for finding a husband, she can choose whomever she desires after the Dragon Tournament."

"The Dragon Tournament?"

"It's a big event in our culture. Men compete against each other to become the champion fighter and possibly win Sakura's heart. However, if she doesn't like what she sees, then she will not marry the champion. She can either choose another man or wait until next year. What about Sasuke-san?"

"Sasuke has to choose a bride before he can become king. He says he doesn't want to get married, but I secretly think he does. His parents were so busy he hardly ever got a chance to even talk to them. Luckily, his brother was around a third of his life, and I'm almost always around. But he can still be lonely at times. In two months, he has to host the winter formal banquet. Most of the nobles are expecting him to have a girlfriend by then, but Sasuke hasn't even asked anyone out."

Hinata moved back onto the path with Naruto following. She gazed at the ground before quickly saying, "Sakura showed no sign of liking anyone in that way since we were twelve." Silence past between the two. "You don't think…"

"Nah, I don't think Sasuke likes to be dominated by anyone. But then again, he always likes a challenge. I don't know… It's kinda troublesome to even think about."

"W-well, it's been nice seeing you again, Naruto-kun," Hinata said.

"You too, Hinata-chan," Naruto responded as he handed the now heavy basket back to Hinata.

"You are a terrible liar, Matsuri."

"Yeah, I know. Rambling is my biggest habit when I lie," Matsuri admitted.

"Sounds like someone's finally taking responsibility in training her first student," a voice called from the shadows.

"Who, who is that, Temari- sensei?" Matsuri asked.

"Hello to you too, Shikamaru. What do you want?" Temari crossed her arms and jutted her hip out feeling annoyed but ready to flirt. Like Ino says, 'It's never too early to flirt.'

"Just bored out of my mind. I've already beaten Choji at shougi four dozen times and for the most part, the weather hasn't been in my favor for cloud gazing. Lazily, he sat down on a nearby boulder. "Don't mind me. I just want to watch some action for a change."

Temari shrugged him off with a simple, "Whatever," and began training her student again. "All right, Matsuri. Listen up. I'm going to teach a new combo for you that involves hand to hand combat and the use of your rope dart."

"Hai!"

After an hour of training, Temari dismissed her student and walked towards Shikamaru with pride in her step. She let her chin rise higher than usual with a smug expression on her face and a light bounce in her step. That was her casual way of acknowledging him. A little bit of pride never hurt anybody, except for Neji, but he was irrelevant in her mind's eye. "So, what do you think of my skills as a sensei?"

A chuckle escaped from Shikamaru. "Better than I thought. When she didn't get the technique right at first, I thought you were going to throw her in the stream."

"HA! I almost wish I did!" Temari admitted through laughter, but calmly defended her student. "Matsuri is only twelve, and she isn't the fastest of learners. She's a little quirky at times, but I think she'll grow out of it in a few years."

The Nara boy slid off his rock and glanced at the sky again. "It's getting late. Do you want me to walk you to the village?"

"Duh," Temari breathed sarcastically. "Why else would I tolerate you sitting there during my session with Matsuri?"

"Troublesome."

It was sunset by the time Ino saw her friends again. Sakura was massaging her wrist as she entered the village. She looked steamed, like she tried to punch something but failed to do so. Instead of hollering to her, Ino gladly gave the moody princess some space. Hinata came in very quietly as usual. Ino decided to help her with her heavy basket of precious herbs.

"Hinata! I'm so glad you're finally here. Did you see Sakura as she came in? Boy, something must have been bugging her to walk straight to her quarters. That's not very usual of her is it?" Ino began as she took one side of Hinata's basket.

Eyes of pearl glanced at her friend without breaking a step and replied, "Hmm, no, that isn't like her at all. I wonder who died at her hands." The two laughed sadistically at the comment and knew that was very likely for someone with the princess's temper. "What is it about royalty that make people seem so… irascible at times?"

"I wonder that, too. Isn't royalty a real good boost to your social status to the males? If I were her, I'd let no one get in my way like that."

"True, but that would mean you would make biased decisions on so many political standpoints." The raven haired girl pointed out to the blonde.

"What political standpoints? There are only two districts in the entire forest, and besides, the queen is in charge, not a whole system of representatives." Ino retorted. Hinata didn't respond as they set the basket in the priestess's house.

Instead, she changed the subject. "How was helping the elders?"

"I don't want to talk about it yet. Hey, do you think Sakura would let us have a sleepover in her room again? We can talk about everything, including the guys there." Hinata smiled coyly, but a blush still rose up in her pale cheeks.

As they came upon the tent that sheltered the villagers, ninjas, and their meals, Ino couldn't help but notice Temari and Shikamaru holding hands as they entered the camp. She squealed and pointed them out to Hinata. She blushed again as she sported a surprised expression.

Tenten and Sakura were already inside the tent, seated next to each other and beckoning the two to sit with them. Without hesitation, Ino and Hinata sat on the warm cushions. Temari broke away from her dark haired friend to sit next to Sakura, but another body swooped out of the blue and placed himself inches away from the rosette's face. Not wanting to start a scene after having a lovely walk with her man, Temari decided to sit cat cornered to Sakura.

"Oh, Sakura. Even on a cloudy night such as this, you shine as bright as the full moon with the stars as her companions."

"Hello, Lee," said a sarcastic warrior princess. She purposely let her bangs cover the left side of her face to avoid further conversation. Obviously, that didn't work out just yet.

"Have you already decided which suitor shall be yours, or do you wish see me fight with my ultimate taijustsu at the Dragon Tournament?" He continued with a gleaming smile on his face.

Sakura sighed, "Honestly, Lee, I still need time to think things through." Ino knew she was lying right away. So did Hinata, but none of the girls gave the secret away. They were too loyal to do something as low as that.

Without letting his smile fade, Lee responded bravely, "Then I shall wait for you, Beautiful Sakura. I will show you all my efforts to win your heart at the Tournament." And with that, he left with a slight skip in his step.

"Well, that was… out in the open," Tenten giggled.

"Ugh, I don't think he'll ever be my type," Sakura said.

"Speaking of out in the open," Ino started. "I saw Temari and Shikamaru holding hands!"

Rolling her eyes, Temari chuckled, "Oh yes you did. Jealous?"

"YES!" They all answered.

Tenten smiled dreamily. "I wish Neji held my hand- WAIT A MINUTE! Did you just say 'yes' to that question, Hinata?"

Eight eyes of different colors turned to watch the young priestess. A slight "Eeeep," escaped from her lips.

"Sleepover. My room. After dinner," Sakura ordered, and the kunoichis rushed through their meals.

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**PLease review and comment!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ugh, i made a big booboo everyone. hopefully, i just fixed it. this website isn't the most user friendly.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Confessions/ Floating spark**

Dinner passed by very quickly that night. As Sakura finished putting on her pajamas, she heard eager knocks at her door. "Don't worry, Tsunade-shishou! Just the five of us are having a sleepover!" She called to the queen before sliding opening the wooden door. Speedily, the girls scrambled into the confinement of the princess's chambers. "Alright, let's do this confession game the fun way," Sakura declared, receiving a delighted whoop from Ino and Tenten.

The confession game was simple and there were no winners, just a massive amount of fun and a slight drop of embarrassment to those of the faint of heart. One girl would throw a colored die and the girl who wore that color would have to either answer a question, or win a quick game of B.S. B.S. was another classic game to the five friends. It included a small stack of normal playing cards. Both girls would have to place a certain amount of cards face down and choose whether or not to lie about the card's value. If one was to be caught lying, then that one would have to take the whole stack of cards lying in the center. However, if she was wrongly accused of lying, then the accuser would have to take the stack of cards. The one with none of her cards left wins.

"I'll go first," Temari offered and took the die Sakura had recently repainted. Carefully, she gazed at each color. Forest green, baby blue, violet, grey, and pink dotted each face of the cube. A white dot on the last face signaled a free space, enabling the wielder to pick her pigeon. Temari then glanced at each of her friend's clothing. Sakura wore a pink tank top with black and red plaid pants. Ino had a frilly, violet cami that was too short for her size and lavender capris. Tenten sported a forest green quarter sleeve shirt with camouflaged pants. Hinata wore a white nightgown with a baby blue silk kimono over it. Temari herself had a black t-shirt with grey stars and grey capris.

The dark blonde haired girl rolled the colored die. It spun in the air before bouncing hard on the ground and shifting positions. At last, it landed on the blue. Temari heard an "eep!" creep out of Hinata's throat. "Well, well, well. So many questions to ask this one. Hinata, why did were you jealous of me and Shikamaru holding hands?" Each kunoichi leaned closer to Hinata for her answer. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want to answer that right away, or after I beat you in B.S.?"

Terrified, the pearly eyed priestess stared into the depths of the older kunoichi's blue green eyes. "Umm… I…," she hesitated before continuing. "I'd rather challenge you to B.S."

"AWW!" Tenten complained. "I did not want to hear THAT!"

"Just make the game quick, ladies. Okay?" Ino sighed as she leaned against a silken pillow and began filing her nails.

Sakura quickly shuffled the cards and divided equally among the two. Cards flashed and voices declared their bluffs. Temari set a card into the pile. "One King!"

"One Ace!"

"Bull Shark!"

Hinata smiled as she replied, "I told the truth." Temari scowled as she picked up five cards and put them into her own pile. They went back and forth until Temari had only two cards left and Hinata had only one. Hinata glanced at her card. Should she chance it? "One Queen."

"Bull Frog!"

"OH CRAP!" Hinata shrieked as she regretfully picked up her cards. If Temari plays her cards and emotions right, then Hinata would lose the game.

The dark blonde smiled coyly if not, cruelly before slapping down the remaining cards. "Two Kings!"

Hinata decided to take another chance. After all, what did she have to lose? "Bento Sushi!" Temari flicked the two cards over and proudly displayed two kings. Another "eep!" erupted from the priestess.

"All right, Hinata. No more games. Spill!"

"Okay, okay. To tell you all the truth, I- I… please don't be mad at me… I ran into Naruto again." Gasps were released from each kunoichi as she continued. "We talked for a while, and he helped me gather herbs- well, he held my basket for me. And, and I- I like him!" Her face turned a deep shade of red.

"A, man outside of the village?" Ino stuttered.

"The wimpy guy I scared?" Sakura and the others laughed hysterically at the blonde idiot she frightened not too long ago. Quickly, she calmed herself to seriously ask, "Hinata, are you serious?"

"I can't help it! He told me about his dreams to become Hokage and show everyone how useful he is. I think I just fell in love with him!"

Even Temari was taken aback by the shy girl's outburst. "Gee, Hinata. Um, I guess all we can say is just to be careful. We don't know anything about this boy except for the fact that he almost peed in his pants when he saw us, that he is friends with Sasuke, and that he from that foreign village that just popped out of nowhere like a daisy."

Ino shifted closer to the pearly eyed girl, agreeing with Temari. "She's right, Hinata-chan. I like the thought of you loving someone, but I'd hate to see you heartbroken. Be careful."

"All right," Hinata whispered. After a moment to herself, she smiled. "I guess it's my turn to roll." And she flicked the die into the air. It landed on violet. "Ino, what did you think of the two strangers?"

"Oh, I thought they were HOT! Especially Sasuke!" Ino exclaimed without a shred of shame. Sakura rolled her eyes, Tenten sighed as she stared at the floor, and Temari just shook her head. "My turn!" She then rolled a pink. "Sakura?" she asked threateningly in the cattiest way possible. When she gained the rosette's attention, she went on. "Have you had any encounters with a suitor?"

Again, Sakura rolled her eyes, "Besides Lee interrupting our dinner, yes. Sadly, yes."

Ino cocked her head to one side. "Sadly?"

"Do you know how annoying it is to have guys trying to get on your good side while trying to patrol the borders? One of them was thirty! I feel so uncomfortable when they stare at me like they really have to have me. What am I to them anyway? I'm just a prize."

"Ouch. Sorry about that Sakura," Tenten sympathized.

"THIRTY?" Ino squeaked. "That's way too old for us!"

"Definitely," Sakura added. "But I will tell you girls that I actually enjoyed one man's company."

"Who?" They all asked.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"But you've only seen him once!" Tenten interrupted.

"Twice, actually." They leaned in closer as she explained what had happened on that second encounter and the plans for their third meeting. "I actually liked sparring with him. He was very fast. Like lightning, he could defend any punch I threw at him. What draws me to him is that he seems so new and mysterious."

Ino cackled evilly, "Ooh, watch out, Sasuke. Sakura has labeled you as her new toy!" Laughter filled the room until a loud banging came from across the hall.

"SHUT IT! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP! KEEP IT DOWN OR GO TO SLEEP!" Tsunade's voice rang in a deadly tone.

The laughter subdued to a low giggle. Sakura whispered, "Well, he's also hot. I have to admit that. That day, he wore an open shirt, and I saw not just a six pack, but an eight pack!"

"Oh. My. God," Ino pretended to drool.

"That's enough of my part," Sakura finished as she rolled the die. It landed on the white. "Tenten, I heard that Neji helped you with your mission. How did that go?" Deciding not to waste ten minutes on a game of bluffs, Tenten told the girls about her… wet meeting.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"Grand Fireball Jutsu!"

POOF! POOF! POOF! Naruto's clones shattered in thick clouds of smoke, allowing each shinobi the chance to take a breath and pull away from the close combat. Sasuke and Naruto panted from their heavy training but only for a moment. After that specific moment, the smoke cleared and Sasuke flash-stepped towards Naruto, throwing a series of punches. With a quick exhale, Naruto dodged them all except for the surprise kick.

"Ouch!" Naruto grunted, rubbing his bruised shin. "You suck, you know that, Baka? I mean, really?" He recovered from the ground and charged back at Sasuke. "A series of punches and since that didn't work, you kicked me?!" Naruto hurled a shuriken. "I'll have to remember that, Temme."

Red eyes observed the approaching shuriken, contemplating how to turn the weapon against the blonde. Simply, he sidestepped the assault. Everything flowed according to his plan as Naruto lost his temper.

Frustrated, Naruto growled, "Darn you, Uchiha! But you won't beat me that easily! I'm not as reckless as I used to be!" He then produced a blue, spinning orb in his right hand, "Rasengan!"

"Wanna bet? Chidori!"

Suddenly, a flash of silver caught both boys before their huge blows could do any damage, and they were thrown in opposite directions. "Did you two know what kind of recklessness that was? You could have killed each other and possibly blown up the entire palace!" Kakashi scolded them.

Shocked at the sudden interception, the two didn't reply to him. Their fistfuls of energy disappeared, wasted.

Kakashi sighed, clearly relieved that he had interfered just in time. "Seriously, how many times will you two kill each other in your shortening life spans?"

"Shortening?!" asked a confused Naruto.

"Well, if I'm not always in the palace, then of course, your lives would be considered short if you two keep up such reckless sparring. Naruto, you can't become Hokage if you're dead. Sasuke, you can't escape the banquet by death… I won't allow that. You kids were taught those techniques only to protect Konoha and your rightful places, NOT TO MURDER EACHOTHER JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT!!!!!"

Black and blue eyes darted away from their sensei's, especially since Kakashi was chewing them out, something he rarely did. Seeing this, Kakashi took pity on his students. "Go wash up and rehydrate. You're done with training for today," he sighed stressfully.

Before entering indoors, Naruto grabbed a sweet drink from a maid while Sasuke took a glass of iced water.

"Heh heh, he sure was mad, wasn't he, Sasuke?" Naruto chuckled.

"Hn."

"Wanna go get some hot tea from that nice shop in the village?"

"No. I'd rather stay inside the palace today since Karin is probably there right now." Sasuke winced at the memory of the obsessive female tracker ninja who was after him.

Naruto shuddered, agreeing. "You're right. Better to be safe than sorry."

Sasuke went straight to his suite to wash up, leaving Naruto to himself.

"Boy, ramen sounds really good after a morning workout." Naruto trotted into the kitchen where the cooked served him a steaming bowl of beef ramen with a hint of his homemade spice, a delicacy. The future hokage graciously thanked him for the food and ordered a servant to carry the meal into his room while he took a bath.

Once the servant left his room, and Naruto finished his bath, he began to indulge in his beloved ramen. Though the morning had been cloudy with the approaching winter season, a bright ray of sunlight filtered through a break in the clouds and through the tall glass windows. Oddly, the sunshine reminded him of the charming priestess he had met the other day. Her shy smile and tinkling laughter filled the room like a child's bell. A soft grin placed itself on Naruto's face and it was oddly not from the usually satisfying last- sip- of- spiced- beef- ramen. Cupid must have shot him through the heart, not with lust, but with a gentle drop of love that need to be gently kindled like a small fire glowing. It was as weak as a floating spark, placing itself inside him, barely unnoticed.

A servant brought Sasuke a cup of tea even though he didn't ask for one. "Lord Kakashi has asked me to serve you something for your health," the maid explained.

Without facing the girl, he replied, "That's fine. Just put it on the table."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" She squealed. However, she didn't tear her gaze away from his face, even as she set the cup down.

Sasuke didn't take any note of this until he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. The girl was just like all the others he met before. Only one meaningless glance and she was frozen, gawking at him. That expression on her… it seemed to ring a bell. True, a lot if girls fell head over heels with just a single look at him, but he never truly stared back. Someone had looked at him like that for an instance; it definitely wasn't Karin he was thinking of… someone else.

Breaking away from his thoughts, he cleared his throat to break the girl from her private fantasies, whatever they were. The maid shook her head at this and quickly left with a red face. Finally, the doors closed, but he could still hear her second childish squeal.

Unfortunately, another knock was heard. "What is it this time?" Sasuke inquired in an annoyed expression.

Shyly, the same maid entered again, this time with a scroll in her small hands. "A- a letter, Your Majesty." Before he responded, she skirted to him, handing the scroll to him, and out the door with another squeal.

"Annoying maid," Sasuke muttered while tearing away the seal to read his brother's message.

_Dearest Little Brother, _

_WHY HAVEN'T YOU WRITTEN TO ME YET! I'll admit, I am bored, but you should write out of respect for your elders. Have you at least found a way to plan your banquet? I bet you haven't. Such a disappointment, which is why I'll soon have some sort of punishment for this. You probably don't even mingle with any of the ladies. By the way, tell me how Naruto is faring in the palace._

Just then, the blonde barged through his bedroom doors. "Whatcha doing, Sasuke? I'm bored!" He exclaimed as he strolled towards the raven haired boy. Instantly, he sat on a chair opposite to him. "Oh, reading a letter are we? I guess I'll just wait until you're done." All the while, Sasuke didn't take his eyes off his brother's calligraphy.

_Sasuke, I swear, you can sometimes be as hopeless as Naruto. You don't have much time until your banquet. Remember, you might find your future love at this event._

_ Your Older Brother,_

_ Itachi Uchiha_

_P.S. Here's your punishment, Foolish Little Brother._

POW! "Damn you, Itachi!" By some sort of sealing jutsu, a fist had ripped through the letter and punched Sasuke's jaw, knocking him out of his chair.

Naruto doubled over as well, laughing hysterically. His face grew red from the lack of oxygen. "Whoa, hahahahahah! I need to learn how to do that! Oh, think of all the people I can sucker punch with just a letter!"

Sasuke threw the parchment into the wind, activating his sharingan just before the fist receded and disintegrated along with the letter itself. Naruto opened his mouth again, but before he could say anything funny, the Uchiha glared coldly at him. Dismissing the annoyed gesture, the blonde took Sasuke's cup of tea for himself.

Sasuke could care less about the stolen tea, so he began contemplating Itachi's words. He really did need to set up the darn banquet and move on. He could probably let Naruto choose all the items to be put on the menu and Kakashi would definitely organize the decorations. All he really needed to do himself was approve of the final setting and organize a guest list with Kakashi's and Itachi's help.

And then there was the possibility of a future bride. Hn, this is irrational, Sasuke said to himself. He didn't really need a bride to rule, just to have an heir. But that can always wait. Why is everyone else so excited about that. They're probably just trying to find a way to aggravate him. Besides, there really wasn't a current girl he really cared for… except for Sakura probably.

Wait a minute! Where did she come from? Sasuke asked himself. How could he think of her when he had his own troubles? Should he invite her? No, that might bring trouble. He hardly knew her. He only asked for another meeting with the princess because he wanted to find more about her village. It was practically a reconnaissance mission he assigned to himself just to kill some time and get away from the idea of planning a banquet. But then why was he pretending to flirt with her? That wasn't necessary. Surely she only agreed because he had struck the last blow in their game and she was definitely curious about him as well. Tomorrow, they would meet again by the willow tree planted right next to the river at sunset. Was he falling for this pinkette? He didn't what loving another person that way felt like. There was only one way to find out. Should he allow Naruto to tag along? NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! He would only get too involved and make a fool of himself. So, he should just meet Sakura by himself. The meeting would be as unnoticeable as a floating spark.


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, this is a work in progress. my computer is being so complicated right now, and my service is sucking. i know i already reapted chapter 1, but i can't fix it. just bear with me. If i missed anyhting else, comments are always appreciated.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Second meeting/ Motives

After a long day, the sun finally began to set. Sakura already told her friends to stay up an hour later in case she did not come home. She still didn't trust the Uchiha just yet. "Be careful, Sakura," a worried Hinata warned.

"I will. So should you, though. I know you have your eyes on that blonde outsider," Sakura argued lightly, but she flashed a smile and gave a reassuring hug to the priestess anyway.

"Tell us if you get some, okay?" Ino chuckled.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Just don't make us run after you in the middle of the night."

"Umm, okay."

It wasn't long until Sakura reached her favorite willow. The placid water flowed tranquilly through the willows lazy roots and branches. Because she wanted to hold as much chakra as possibly in the event of another battle between her and Sasuke, Sakura scaled the tree without the use of it. The sun's blazing energy barely scratched the horizon when she began to feel a powerful aura coming from the dirt path. Sasuke Uchiha appeared before her on the path as if he had done so many times before this meeting.

"I didn't think you would come," Sakura greeted.

"No reason not to," he replied nonchalantly as he jumped onto a branch next to her, using a bit of chakra.

"From what I remember, I'm the one who gave away information about my village, but you didn't. So, I've had one of my friends help me out. Seems like you can't be promoted until you have a bride. Ha-ha! And you made yourself sound as if you could get away from anything."

"Hn. First, that's not true. I really don't need a queen to rule. Second, I've had a spy as well. I'm well aware of your village culture just as much as you are of mine. He told me you have to attend a tournament where men have to kill each other just for you to bat an eye at them." He watched her smug expression gradually evaporate from his words. Her thin, pink eyebrows knitted together in puzzlement.

Sakura laughed heartedly, throwing her head back and giggling at the sky's multi-colored hue. Then, he saw a sliver of thread twinkling in the sun's last golden rays just behind her. Following the trail with his eyes, Sasuke found a set of kunais and shurikens concealed in the willow's long leaves. "Why don't you put away those traps you set up, so we can talk like civilized people."

Sakura blanched. How did he know about my traps? Damn. They were a good insurance just in case something went wrong, she thought to herself.

"You don't trust me, do you?"

"I'm pretty sure you don't trust me either."

"I'm not the one who showed up ten minutes early to place traps in the ground."

Surrendering to his reason, Sakura fished for a knife in her bag and disarmed the defenses. "You're good," Sakura admitted. "But remember, this is my ground we are standing on. Very thin ice for you, Sasuke."

"Hn."

"The Dragon Tournament is traditional for my people. But, the men seldom kill each other. I never allow it. If someone is badly injured, though, I can always heal them. You probably already knew that I was a medic."

"Yes, my spy was very elaborate."

"Why don't we just come out in the open and say that Naruto reported to you as Hinata did to me?"

"Fine. There are no secrets now."

Sakura smiled flirtatiously, studying the outsider. He was a whole head taller than her, maybe just a little bit more. Sasuke's facial expression hardly changed, except for a glint of humor in his eyes. His opened shirt revealed an eight-pack with a muscular chest and shoulders. The eyes were as black as the approaching night, mysterious and dark. Oh God, Sakura thought to herself, I'm starting to like him… a lot, but how irresistible can a guy be? She caught herself staring at him, and pulled away, fixing her eyes to the river. He didn't seem to notice.

Sasuke definitely sensed her eyes on him. When they lifted, it was his turn to glance her way. Yes, she had absolutely, without a doubt looked at him the way other girls did. Just as he was looking at her. She was a petite girl, but still contained toned legs and arms. With the disappearing sun, her eyes began to turn from jade to emerald green, complimenting her cherry blossom locks and pale skin. A kunoichi indeed she was. One who could easily tear any man apart with her superhuman strength and mend that same being back together with precisely controlled chakra. She was… intriguing. Who knew this reconnaissance mission could be this interesting.

"Why is it that you haven't told me why you wanted to meet again?" Sakura asked.

Smoothly, he transitioned his thought from her appearance back to the conversation. "Again, that's for me to know and for you to find out. Just try. I promise that using your brain doesn't hurt at all." This earned him a kick in the shin, and an angered glare from the rosette. He smirked at her behavior anyways.

Sakura just couldn't fathom his motives just yet. The more she looked at him, the more lost she became.

"……………………"

"……………………"

"No, it can't be. It must be something else… What else?"

"I don't think I follow. But keep going, maybe you'll find the reasons."

"………………Well, I'm starting to trust you now, Sasuke. A little bit. From what I've deduced, you wouldn't do any harm to my village. You wouldn't have anything to gain besides what you already have. But there is something you obviously don't have."

"And what is that?" He asked, more amused than ever.

"Stop making fun of me, Sasuke! I'll get it. Let's see. What does a prince who has everything within an arm's reach ask for, in life? Hmmm."

"………………….."

"…………………..."

"Well?" The raven haired teen implored.

"Shut up! This stuff takes time," She hissed. Delicately, Sakura held up a finger for each thoughtful reason. "Money, no. Land, no. Swords, no. Adventure, you've already got that."

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Princess, but the sun has already been gone long ago," Sasuke reminded her. "I have some pressing matters to attend to tomorrow. Maybe you'll figure it out the day after tomorrow."

"WAIT! I'm still trying to figure you out!" Sakura shouted as the prince leaped onto the ground. She followed in pursuit, attempting to get more information out of him. His back was to her and silence surrounded them both like a venomous snake coiling, suffocating. An owl hooted eerily. Crickets chirped in a harmonious choir. The water bubbled in it's usually wake. A fish splashed, sending waves to lap at the shores.

He cocked his head in her direction and smirked, "You're annoying." And he was gone. Not a single thing in the forest stirred from its usually activities.

"Humph. I'll remember that, Sasuke Uchiha. Jerk," Sakura scoffed as she made her way back home.

Orion the Hunter was clearly visible by the time she stepped into her house. Tsunade was snoring away, but as she got closer to her room, she detected another chakra signature, Hinata. Silently, she opened her bedroom door. The priestess must have been waiting for her return, but had fallen asleep on her bed.

Sakura tip-toed to the bed and whispered, "Hinata, wake up. I'm back."

Instantly, her pearly eyes shot open. "Sakura!"

"Shhhh, you'll wake Tsunade-sama."

Hinata blushed at her embarrassing outburst. "You were gone for such a long time. I got worried about you."

"Is everyone else asleep?" Sakura inquired. She knew that her rendezvous with Sasuke took a while longer than she expected, but she hoped that none of the others got worried.

Hinata's eyes lingered to her right. She was recalling a memory. "No, they didn't think anything bad could ever happen to you, so they just went home."

The rosette let out a relieved sigh. "Thank god, I didn't upset all of them. I'm sorry I took so long, Hinata. You're a good friend to wait for me."

The priestess waved her hand as if dismissing her nervous breakdown. "It was nothing. So, what happened between you two? Between you and Sasuke. I want to know."

A mischievous grin formed on Sakura's lips. Oh boy, did she know where this was going. "You want to know if it's okay to see Naruto again, right?" A slight, eeep, escaped from her friend's lips and a reddened face only confirmed Sakura's observations. "From what I've gathered, Sasuke is interested in one thing, and it's not harming the village. So, do whatever you please with the blonde guy."

Without a word, Hinata hugged the kunoichi princess, smiling the biggest smile she ever wore. Once the moment passed she asked, "So, what is Sasuke looking for?"

"That I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out. It's neither money nor land nor adventure. But he wants to meet up again the day after tomorrow. I'm assuming it'll be around sunset again. Speaking of which, I really need to disguise my traps more carefully. Sasuke was able to catch the string before I decided whether to trust him or not."

"Do you?"

"Yes. I do now."

"Then that's all I need to not worry anymore, Sakura. Oh, and thank you for the update. I'm sure you'll figure him out," Hinata reassured her. And with that, the priestess silently left the room like a current of air.

Sakura pulled the warm covers over, thinking to herself. What makes this guy want to see me again? What does he want? How am I supposed to figure his motives out? He practically talked in circles; so indirect. Why would he do this if he really wanted my answer? I know he was watching me when I pretended not to notice.

She didn't find the answer until she woke up.

The palace gates were already closed for the night when Sasuke returned, so he concentrated his chakra to his feet and walked up the walls of the building into his room. Crickets hummed their nameless melody to each other in the night. Sasuke sat on the roof that sheltered his balcony from the weather, scanning the edge of the tree line that lead into Kunoichi territory.

"About time, Teme!"

Oh great, Sasuke thought. The dobe is still up.

"So how did your date with the princess go?" Naruto chuckled mischievously. Sasuke didn't want to address that. Instead, he ignored the blonde and entered his room. "By the way, Temme, the witch is here. I couldn't call security, but I knew you could since they only follow your orders. Seriously, what does it take to get some respect from those guards anyway? I've already saved Konoha once. Anyway, she's in the par-"

He was interrupted by a shrill scream as the doors burst open. "SASUKE-KUN! I missed you soooo much. I tried to call you, but you were always busy," Karin squealed and shoved Naruto away from the dark-haired teen.

"I don't have time, Karin," Sasuke muttered and walked briskly into the hallway. Naruto gave the redhead an evil glare and sipped a glass of tea.

"Aww, is my Sasuke tired? Maybe some company later in the night will awaken your senses."

Naruto sputtered and choked and coughed and gagged all in one minute, "W- whoa there." He coughed and gagged a few more times. "I- I'm just gonna leave."

Sasuke ignored the comment and walked even faster down the hall towards the dining hall. If anything, he was starving. He probably had burned off more calories than he consumed that morning. A quick command to the guards and the witch was forced onto her broomstick once again.

"I'll see you tomorrow, my Sasuke-kun!" The witch cooed before readjusting her glasses and was escorted off the castle grounds by the Uchiha guards.

"Ding! Dong! The witch is gone!" sang a relieved Naruto. The two boys already reached the kitchen and the cook handed them their dinner. The food was something new the cook tried to invent and didn't look edible. Ironically, Naruto didn't scarf his food down just yet. "What the heck is this stuff?"

"Don't know, but I'm too hungry to care," Sasuke replied before downing everything in his bowl.


	10. Chapter 10

**oh MAN! it's been way too long, but i have good reason. first, i've been pounded with tournaments and homework over spring break. SPRING BREAK! what kind of teacher gives homework and a project over spring break! And my coach has been giving me a whole week of HEAVY workouts. it's hell! Now every fiber of my body is sore. But i'm soo glad i had time to do this chapter. And it's a good length. however, it may be a while until the next one cuz i have to improve my grades. School suxs! the only cool about it is that you meet new people, play sports, and use biology equipment on unfortunate souls. lol.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**_Catch / Release_**

PARTY DECORATIONS! WHOOOPIE!!!" Naruto shouted excitedly.

"Hn. Do whatever you want with the decorations. Just tell me when you're finished so I can approve it," Sasuke said nonchalantly as the ecstatic blonde began flashing by each corner of the dining hall and ball room with a heavy amount of chakra at his feet.

"I want to make this an exotic island! No, a masquerade! Ooh, how about a masquerade WITH an island backdrop!"

"Whatever. Just don't go over the budget." Sasuke then approached his mentor. "Kakashi-sensei, who exactly needs to be invited?"

The silver-haired nobleman stroked the back of his neck, recalling every important person he knew throughout his entire life. "Well, there's your brother, the current Hokage, Sai, and the other lords and ladies of the country."

Naruto hung from a rose chandelier; hovering over the table Sasuke and Kakashi were sitting at, and squinting at the guest list. "Hey, Sensei, why did you tell us that you were supervising the decorations the other night when Sai arrived? Obviously, there aren't any decals anywhere in this hall unless you count the usual paintings and flower vases."

"When I saw the stuff, I really didn't like it. Too gaudy. All the good decals were left at the old Uchiha palace. So, I decided to get some new ones once you were done planning."

"SWEET! I'm going to need Sai to draw this stuff out," Naruto declared as he smoothly leapt onto the ground in search of his friend.

The hall was very silent without the knuckle-headed ninja, so Kakashi and Sasuke took this opportunity to begin writing the invitations. Maids swarmed about, cleaning every tile on the floor, washing everything made of glass, and dusting each vase. Two butlers set up a ladder to climb in order to shine the chandelier and freshen up the paint on the roses. And, two hunters exited the front doors to study the boar territory in the forest.

"Hey, Ino!" Sakura greeted as she slung her bow and arrow across her back.

"Good morning Sakura. Hinata told us what happened," Ino replied, then studied the princess's gear. "Where are you going?"

"I need some alone time to think, so I'm going hunting."

"Alright then. See you at lunch or dinner?"

"Dinner, if I'm not hungry by lunch."

The two friends waved goodbye to each other as Sakura made her way into the forest. To prevent herself from being followed, she walked off the dirt trail and into the lush side of the forest. A few of the trees had lost their golden leaves and were left barren. However, the farther she walked, the more evergreens popped into her view.

Around midday, Sakura had seated herself into the arms of a pine tree. She slung her bow and arrow onto another limb, figuring that she would be able to grab it quickly and quietly when an animal wandered into her sight. She then took the time to start her deepest thinking.

_I can't believe Sasuke. Why would he need me when he could get help from some other girl? I may be a princess, but surely there are others out there dying to even look at his handsome face. _Sakura smiled to herself, picturing the absolutely gorgeous Uchiha. _I've never seen a look so intimidating, but also so calm at the same time. Well, Neji was just as serious, but the guy is just not my kind of flavor. Besides, Tenten is practically in love with him. And he probably knows his feelings are equal to hers. Too bad neither of them will admit it… yet. Anyway, Sasuke is absolutely the hottest guy in the history of HOT. Maybe his request wasn't so bad. I could help, and in return, gain an alliance between his village and mine. My people would be safe from others, not that there are any other villages to be confrontational with._

"Huh?" Sakura reacted dumbly to a rustle in the bushes.

Everything went black.

"Yes, and don't forget to give Itachi an invitation. He hates not getting one, even though he can't make it." Kakashi advised the dark haired prince.

"Hn."

Naruto sat down at the table with Sai following him and carrying floor layouts of two rooms, paintbrushes, and black ink. "I want to make an island masquerade, Sai," Naruto pitched as Sai dipped his brush into the ink tray and began stroking the paper with each of the blonde's infamous ideas. Pointing to the plainest wall, he said, "Over there is going to be an island backdrop. It's also where the musicians will be playing. The same is going to happen in the ball room. Now, in the ball room, we're going to need tropical plants like palm trees, banana trees, and ferns. I think a cage of exotic birds should be put on that wall. Oh, and there should be some monkeys roaming free!"

"No free roaming monkeys, Naruto!" Kakashi boomed. "They poop everywhere and then the guests will step in it and never come back because of that!"

Naruto groaned, "Sensei, how else are we to create an island theme?"

"Just install a waterfall with koi and water lilies. The birds can stay so long as they are not too loud and are caged at _all_ times."

Sai looked up from his picture. "I think we should cancel on getting a giant macaw, Naruto. They are pretty loud, but the birds of paradise should be fine."

The blonde nodded. "What about we get some butterfly chandeliers and potted hibiscuses around the place. Oh, and a few lanterns to add more light when the sun sets."

Kakashi nodded in approval while Sasuke rolled his eyes. _Did Naruto have to make the banquet so elaborate? Well, he is a dobe alright._

Sai and Naruto left the room to review the party layout and pick out a good menu.

Immediately after they disappeared, the doors to the Great Hall burst forth with two hunters carrying something… someone with a cloth over their head. "Your Majesty," one of them began. "We have captured an enemy from the forest!" The hunter then pulled back the cloth to reveal a rosette with her eyes blind folded. It was Sakura!

The hunters gripped her arms as firmly as they could, as she tried to wrench free of them. "LET ME GO!" She demanded as she swiftly kicked one of them in the face and then the other. With their noses broken, each hunter let go of her. Sakura ripped the blindfold off, but froze when her eyes met the Uchiha. Seizing their chance, the men roughly secured her arms.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her, and then glanced towards the hunters rubbing their noses. "She's not an enemy, she's an ally. This is Haruno Sakura, a princess from the forest. Don't touch her again!"

Both hunters freed her and knelt before Sasuke, asking for forgiveness. "You are dismissed," he said. "Maid, give one of the best rooms for our guest. Sakura, we shall discuss your decision situation soon."

The princess glared at Sasuke for a moment, and followed the maid out of the room. She led Sakura up a long flight of stairs to a large suite adorned with luxurious furniture and a view of some courtyard and the busy streets. "Is there anything you request, Princess Sakura?" the maid asked politely.

After shaking her head, the maid left Sakura to herself. _Damn it, why did I have to get captured?! I bet this was Sasuke's plan so that I can't refuse. Obnoxious jerk! I should tell Tsunade- sama my current location. I may not get home tonight._

Sakura then performed the shadow clone jutsu and sent her clone off to deliver the message. She sighed, and decided to freshen up in the bathroom. After all, she was going to have a talk with the Uchiha very, very soon.

After taking a relaxing bath and drying her hair, the maid brought in a fresh kimono for Sakura. It was a lovely violet color that faded into a bright pink at the bottom and sleeves. Little white lilies decorated the piece. "It's beautiful," Sakura breathed, as she slipped into the silk outfit. The maid smiled while tying the kimono together, "I figured this piece suited you best. Will you be staying the night, Princess?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure whether I will go home tomorrow, or stay longer."

Gently, the maid brushed Sakura's cherry blossom hair until it seemed to glow. Her hair had grown long enough to be put into a bun with a butterfly pin stuck into it for decoration. A knock sounded from the door just as the maid finished.

"Come in," Sakura called as she positioned herself in a lady like manner on a chair.

Sasuke strode into the room and waved the maid out. As soon as her footsteps were in the far distance, he turned to Sakura. "So, have you decided?"

"First of all, why did you capture me?" Sakura hissed.

"I had no intention of doing so. This isn't my fault."

"Stupid hunters," she muttered. "Alright, I know you don't need any money, adventure, and etcetera. But I do know what you're facing. You are a prince and everyone is expecting you to marry and have an heir. I'm expected to do that as well, but I can choose whenever I want. You on the other hand, are expected to find someone much sooner, possibly at this banquet of yours. How am I doing?"

"Very on point." Sasuke responded as he seated himself onto a chair opposite of her. "I am basically inviting you to the banquet so that everyone will stop pestering me about a bride."

Grinning mischievously, Sakura corrected him, "Basically, you're asking me out to fool other people. Alright, I'll do it, but I have some conditions." After receiving a nod from the Uchiha, she went on. "First, I want some respect around here. Don't go around treating me like a frail little flower locked up in my room. Second, I want the forest closed off from your people. That is kunoichi territory. Third, I'm going to need more clothes than what I have right now. Finally, I want access to my village while I'm here and access to your libraries here so that I can still study my medical jutsus and treatments."

"Fine. Let's get some dinner. I need to formerly introduce you to a few people who live here as well. By the way, I like the dress. It suits you well."

Sakura smiled genuinely at him. He had complimented her already and only a few seconds after they made their bargain. Maybe living here wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Sasuke gave her a quick smirk before opening the door, "After you, Sakura." In the best ladylike manner she could put herself into; Sakura smoothed the folds in her dress and followed him to the dining hall. Together, the couple entered the dining hall to see a blonde boy and a silver haired man talking in hushed tones.

"Naruto, something's up with Sasuke," Kakashi whispered.

"What do you mean? And why are we whispering?"

"So you don't know about what happened today?"

"Obviously not," Naruto replied curiously. "What happened?"

"Once you and Sai left the dining hall, two hunters came in with a captured girl. They said she was an enemy, but once Sasuke saw her face, he gave them such a cold stare. Sasuke told them that she was an ally," Kakashi explained.

"So what?"

"Well, what was really surprising was that he told them not to ever touch her again. He even gave her a room and said he would talk with her in private."

"Whoa! Sasuke's never told a guy to back off of a girl. He hardly ever chats to anyone at all!"

"Keep your voice down, Naruto. Anyway, I think he has some connection with her."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Naruto said sarcastically. "I wonder-"

Sasuke put his arm around Sakura's waist and guided her to the seats across from Naruto and Kakashi. "Sensei, this is Haruno Sakura. Naruto, you've met her before." He then pulled a chair for the pinkette across from Kakashi. Once she sat down, he sat across from Naruto, continuing, "I have invited her to the banquet. She'll be staying here for a while."

"Dude!" the blonde exploded. "You're dating HER!"

Sakura turned sharply to give him a fiery stare and warning, "And what is that supposed to mean? I can still put you through the wall with just my little finger."

"Uh, never mind. You two are perfect for each other. She's hot headed and you're like an ice cube, absolutely no feeling."

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**Please review! and don't hate me XD heheh.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sooooooo..... where is everyone? I mean, a lot of my fav authors haven't updated since, well, a long time. I feel so alone updating this.**

**.......hello?.........anybody?...................... i guess i'll just have to party by myself. (turns on music and starts break dancing solo)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I'm pretty sure I don't.... i think.... 99.99% sure i do not own an awesome manga and anime show.... yep, pretty sure.**

**ENJOY!**

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**New / Old**

Sakura awoke to a new morning full of different feelings. First, her head was resting on a satin pillow and her body was covered in a satin blanket. Although the fabric was just as lavish and extravagant as her own silk comforter set, it was a slightly heavier material and retained more heat than silk. She loved it. Second, she heard the soft murmur of the waking village that lay beside the palace. In her own village, everyone woke up about the same time and had breakfast together before working, doing chores, and beginning missions. Third, Sakura couldn't smell the natural pine forest at all. That became a minor disappointment. And fourth, a dove was waiting for her on the windowsill.

It cooed at her, as she lifted the satin fabric off of herself and tip-toed to the window. "Shh," she calmed the white bird, "I'll be gentle." Softly, she fingered a note from the dove's ankle. She looked around for a cage. Thankfully, she found a large, white bird cage in the corner with a red velvet curtain surrounding it. Sakura lifted the curtain, and slipped the bird inside before reading her letter.

_Dear Sakura,_

_Thanks for letting me know where you were. I was starting to get worried about you. I think your decision will definitely seal an alliance with the… invader village. I really don't know what the new civilization is called, so please find out for me when you get home. _

_Oh, I've sent Hinata to be with you. Two kunoichis should stick together in a new place. Just don't stay over there for two long. We'll be on the lookout for any more foreign hunters in our territory._

Sakura folded the letter back into a thin strip and hid it between the folds of the curtain when a knock came. "Come in!"

The maid from last night entered her room with a breakfast tray. "Your Highness, please enjoy a bit of breakfast," she said, smiling. Sakura allowed her to place the tray on a table and began eating. "Once you finish your breakfast, a designer will come in to take your measurements and give you some of her best clothing line for you to wear."

"Thank you…"

"Your Highness may simply call me Nami."

"Thank you Nami," Sakura smiled politely and finished her breakfast. No sooner than when she put her chopsticks down did another women enter her quarters.

"Good morning, Princess Sakura. May I begin taking your measurements?" The new woman asked.

"Of course."

"Let's see. Sakura said that it was just beyond a ramen shop, I think," Hinata contemplated to herself as she walked the streets of the village's main square, trying to find a small ramen shop that would give away the location of the palace. She slung her bag onto her left shoulder and took slower steps, hoping to find the needed location. "Found it!"

The sign read Ichiraku's Ramen Shop in simple red characters painted on a wooden sign. Entering the ramen shop, she asked the server for the ladies restroom. If Hinata were to expect a hospitable meeting with everyone, she needed to be in a presentable fashion. Quietly, the priestess slipped into the restroom to comb out all the tangles in her hair and wash her face from any dust rising from the street. In just under ten minutes, she walked out of Ichiraku's Ramen Shop.

"Hinata?!"

Instantly, she whipped her head around, finding the source of the voice who called her name within a loud, blonde haired teen. "Naruto-kun! It's good to see you again!"

He grinned from ear to ear and enveloped the girl with a hug. "Wow, what are doing here?" Naruto asked as he released her and held her bag for her.

"I'm going to stay at the palace. Tsunade-sama wants to have at least another person Sakura can fully trust with her here."

"That's great! In fact, I'm headed back right now. Although, I can't help but feel a little insulted by Lady Tsunade."

Hinata giggled at this as she walked with him through the streets. "Well, she's actually being more lenient than usual. I think she's starting to like you guys a little bit. Normally, she would have all four of us sent here."

"I can see that. How is she doing?"

"Fine. She got a notice from Sakura last night via shadow clone. It took her a while to think about what to do. She's not really happy that an intruder was in our territory, so she set more patrol missions," Hinata confessed.

Naruto squinted hard at the morning sky. "Hmm, that doesn't surprise me. Did Sakura mention her conditions for this deal?"

"Oh yes. But, Tsunade doesn't fully trust Sasuke yet. I think you're her favorite."

"What can I say? I'm a real people person," Naruto chuckled.

They entered the Great Hall with greetings from another maid, and Naruto had her escort Hinata to a room across from Sakura's just as Hinata had asked of him. He gave Hinata's bag to the maid. "I'll see you around Hinata," he said as he waved goodbye to her.

The priestess smiled at him and followed the maid up a large flight of stairs. She asked Hinata if she would like her to unpack the bag, but Hinata shook her head and told the maid she was free to leave. Once the maid left, Hinata took a small package from her shoulder bag before making her way to Sakura's suite.

"HINATA!" Sakura exclaimed. She gathered her skirts up and leapt off her pedestal to greet her midnight haired friend. "I'm so glad to see you again."

"Well, I figured you wouldn't like being here all by yourself. Besides, I also couldn't wait to see Naruto again," Hinata replied honestly. The two kunoichis hugged each other and discussed the deal Sakura made with Sasuke.

"Your majesty, I have put your new clothing in your closet already," the designer interrupted and held two fabrics up, "Which piece of fabric would you prefer for your banquet dress?"

Hinata smiled, "Actually, I brought something for you, Sakura." She handed Sakura the package. Gently, the princess lifted the paper wrapping to discover a red kimono with golden phoenixes and cherry blossoms. A jade green sash was tied around the waist of the kimono. It was the kimono she was to wear at the dragon tournament. The only difference was that it was elongated for the winter weather.

"Oh… my…" Sakura stuttered.

"You don't have to say anything, Sakura-chan. Tsunade figured that you would want to wear the dress. She made it longer to make more suitable for the cold weather. I think it's supposed to snow soon. The clouds have that corn field pattern."

The designer nodded at the dress, accepting Sakura's decision. She gathered her tools and left the room to the two friends. Sakura tried on the extended kimono. The red outfit fit like a glove, hugging her hips and flowed around her legs.

"So now, you have to pretend to like the Uchiha?" Hinata asked in a hushed tone.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders, guiltily admitting, "Well, I'm not exactly pretending. It's hard to remember that, especially when I find him so attractive. Last night, he put his arm around my waist and I could have fainted on the spot just like you."

Hinata rolled her eyes, something similar to what Sakura would have done. "I think as we age, our characteristics rub off on each other."

"True, but I never felt this way for a guy before."

"Well, why not we go out and have a look around the palace. Maybe we could find something to do in town, too," Hinata suggested.

"You know, that sounds like a fun idea."

"!"

"So sorry!" Sakura apologized as she slammed the door to an unknown room.

"Um, I think they were busy in that room," Hinata stated obviously.

"You think?" Sakura said sarcastically. "I think that was one the maids I saw earlier and one of the butlers in there."

"I really don't want to know who they are, Sakura. I would be sincerely uncomfortable to see them again, even if they aren't… um… occupied."

"Okay, let's just walk down the halls and not open any doors," the rosette suggested.

"Agreed."

The two kunoichis wandered the halls, marveling at exquisite paintings and peeking out the tall windows. Soon, they found a set of stairs that had led them to a private courtyard. Bare remains of cherry blossom trees ran the perimeter of the courtyard. Cobbled paths wound around fountains, flowerbeds, and statues. Lightly, the friends walked several paths, noting at each corner and landmark. After a chilly wind ripped the air, they decided to head back inside. Hinata never favored icy weather while Sakura merely put up with the nuisance. She simply wanted Hinata to be comfortable. Hot tea warmed their systems inside the palace.

"Hinata, let's go to the library before dinner is ready. I want to see what kind of medical books are here."

"Yes, I want to look at them, too."

Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose. Finally, he and Kakashi had finished stamping the last envelope of the guest list. Naruto and Sai were now presenting their idea to him, but he wasn't paying any attention to them. He pretended to actually give a crap about the decorations, but his eyes were following a bright pink head somewhere in the biological section of the library.

"Here's where the koi fountain is going to be. Right here," Naruto announced, pointing his finger at some spot on Sai's drawing. He started to go on about bird cages, but Sasuke could care less.

_Damn it. Why did I put my arm around her waist last night? Naruto and Kakashi would have been easily swayed without that gesture. Actually, Sakura didn't seem to mind. She performed perfectly in front of everyone. Maybe this isn't such a bad plan after all. Now if we can just keep this up for a week, then we can return to our normal lives and no one will pester me until some next banquet. Damn, what would I do then? Aw shit._

"Now if you don't mind, I'm going to find a book on birds of paradise to order. Kakashi, will you please fill in these current orders?" Naruto asked.

The silver haired jonin smiled through his mask, "I guess I have nothing else to do. So long." With that, Kakashi disappeared in a cloud of smoke while Sai and Naruto tried to find their much needed book. Sasuke was finally left to himself for once that afternoon and decided to head back into his room.

"Hey, Sai! Go on ahead of me. There's someone I need to see for just a few seconds." After a brief nod from the artist, Naruto headed straight for a cherry blossom haired girl.

"Hi Sakura," he cheered.

"Hello Naruto. What's up?"

"Whoa, you're in a good mood today."

"I've just decided that I see you as the annoying brother I never had. To me, you're a good guy. You just screw up first impressions."

"Thanks! I think……………Well, what do you think of me and Hinata?"

Sakura put her three inch wide book on the shelf and turned to the blonde. "What do you mean? I'm Hinata's friend, not her keeper. If you like her and she likes you, then by all means, go ahead and be a couple. You can have my blessings if that's what you want."

"Thanks, Sakura-chan! You know, I'm starting to think of you as a sister, too."

"Uh-huh."

Naruto turned to go, but felt a familiar presence behind him. Sai held up a picture of black and yellow birds. "What do you think?" he said.

Sakura looked over and found the new being. Like a coiling snake, the air became thick. Tension rose in front and behind him. In the blink of an eye, all stress melted away and the air returned to its natural pressure. _What was that?_

Sakura opened her mouth. "So I see where your destiny has taken you, Sai."

"Yes, Sakura. It's good to see you. I hope you can forgive my past actions, but the forest wasn't suited for me." He smiled and extended his hand for a formal handshake.

Sakura smiled back and lightly redirected Naruto to the side. She held up her hand as well. POW! Sai flew back until he hit a book shelf that rattled vigorously, but thankfully didn't topple over him. The princess quickly regained her posture. "Yes, now I forgive you. I just needed to get that out of my system once and for all. I'll see you both at dinner?" She nodded at each guy before turning to the library's exit with Hinata following suit. She was watching the exchange of words and gestures earlier from afar and decided not to get in between them. She smiled at Naruto and mouthed the word, "Sorry" to a dazed Sai.

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**If I've made any mistakes, PLEASE tell me, even if your an anonymous reviewer. Mistakes may not be correccted immeadiately, but pretty close to that. Part of being a good author is 30% talent, 10% skill, and 60% not getting distracted by the internet. Like that? I modified that saying a little, so don't quote me after that. It's not mine.**

**PLEASE REVIEW, COMMENT, AND CHECK OUT MY POLL! ;D**


	12. Chapter 12

**HEY HEY! It's summer time and i'm ready to upload! Miss me? LOL **

**I guess I'll have to keep my little discussion short this time. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Nada. zip.**

**Enjoy!**

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Glance/ Glimmer

Gazing at the dinner table with everyone seated before him, Sasuke was amazed at how quickly Sakura and Naruto became friends. Then again, he was just surprised at Sakura's change in mood. _She must have been having a good day, _he thought. Otherwise, she would have pulverized Naruto for making such a perverted joke at the dinner table. She seemed like a completely different person yesterday. Perhaps the fact that _his_ hunters had captured _her_, a princess of the forest, had disrupted her usual, cheery mood. He also noticed that she had taken advantage of the royal tailor and designer. She wore an elegant kimono almost every evening. Tonight, she donned a stunning black kimono that was brightly decorated with yellow and red fans. Her cherry blossom pink hair was pulled into a loose bun with a royal blue butterfly pin. In the dim lighting of the dining hall, her long, thick eyelashes bloomed jade eyes glowing with great mystique. Sasuke also took note that her skin was becoming increasingly pale, a result of the winter's lack of UV rays. She captured his attention like a moth drawn to a light bulb. He suddenly realized that he was staring directly at her and managed to pull his eyes away from her, pretending that he was listening to Kakashi's lecture the whole time.

The nobleman put his drink down and continued, "Well, it looks like this year's winter banquet is going to be a great success. Now that I think about it, a masquerade would perfect, especially for me."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but teased a smile. "Duh, you're always wearing that mask. There's nothing new for you."

A waiter came around the table, picking up empty bowls, plates, and silverware. Kakashi got up and bade goodnight to everyone and headed off to his chambers. Sai excused himself from the table claiming, "I want to finish my painting of the stars while there's a good source of moonlight outside." Naruto escorted Hinata to the gardens for a short stroll, chatting all the way with brief smiles and chuckles. That left Sasuke and Sakura.

At the table.

Alone.

And silence filled the room.

"…"

"…"

Sakura fidgeted in the uncomfortable quietness as Sasuke looked at her with his cold obsidian eyes.

"…"

"…"

"I see you have taken advantage of the royal designer and tailor," Sasuke stated bluntly.

Taking the opportunity to break the eerie silence, Sakura piped, "Yes, why wouldn't I indulge in the best? After all, it's the least you could do for me after your men dragged me all the way here."

He smirked, "You're still not over that?"

"Of course not!" She exclaimed. "Not entirely. Just give me another day and perhaps by then, I'll be over it."

"You're annoying."

Before he knew it, Sasuke was walking Sakura back to her suite. All the while, she was chattering like a canary about her adventures with Hinata that day.

"You won't believe how many strange situations we accidently walked in on. And then, we finally found the library. I love the size of your collection. There were so many titles and authors to choose from. Naruto's finally over his fright about me flicking him off into the tree. In the library, he had the gut to ask for my approval of him hanging out with Hinata. I told him I wasn't her keeper and that he would just have deal. Oh, and I also saw Sai there. We've met before and had our differences. About time he apologized to me."

Sasuke glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Is that why there was such a racket earlier?"

"Yep, I forgave him after I punched him in the jaw. It felt really nice. I think I actually got rid of my annoyance of him and Naruto now," she sighed in relaxation. Silence passed between them again for another uncomfortable amount of time. This time, she broke the silence, asking, "So, how is this going to happen at the banquet? Do I just sit there and smile like an idiot?"

"No, I'll be introducing you to the important political officials and you'll be mingling with some of them. Hinata should be accompanying you when I need to talk with some of the others."

At last, they reached Sakura's doors. "Hey Sasuke, isn't your suite in the west wing instead of the east?"

Sasuke looked down at the kunoichi, racking his brain for an excuse to walk her to her room. "Hn. I just need to check on something in this wing."

Sakura rolled her jade green eyes and grinned mischievously. "Of course, Prince Sasuke." She then slid the door open with her delicate fingers.

"You're annoying," Sasuke said for the second time that night.

Just before gliding into the room, Sakura leaned into his ear and whispered, "But if I'm so annoying, why were you checking me out at the dinner table?" Before he could retort she stepped into her safety net and shut her door, laughing evilly all the while.

Stunned, Sasuke stood there like an idiot. His mind processed the information meticulously and very sluggishly.

She had caught him staring at her. Of all the people in the world, he, an Uchiha, was caught staring at a girl. Other guys would have smiled and tried to flirt. But he was an Uchiha, and Uchihas were never caught… until now.

Sakura sunk into a mass of pink satin sheets, snickering to herself. _To think that the brooding dark prince couldn't take his eyes off of me until I turned! Ha, now who is the idiot gaping like a fish!_

The silvery moon poured pale light into the room, illuminating still shadows that froze where they stood, not daring to even breathe a single breath in the presence of moonlight. Not even the summer insects carried a tune to churn the nightly stars. Trying to keep the seeping cold air away, Sakura pulled her satin blankets closer to herself. Tomorrow, she would request a thicker set to be placed on her bed. Even the satin fabric could no longer serve her well.

The next morning was just the same as the last, save for the absence of a letter dove. Sakura ate a light breakfast and Hinata chatted with her about her walk with Naruto last night. Both kunoichis noted that the weather was definitely getting colder, enough to put on a heavy cloak before venturing outside.

After finishing their meal, Kakashi poked his head into the room. "Good morning ladies."

"Good morning," they replied politely and cheerfully.

"Care to join us for some combat training?" He asked while a friendly smile formed behind his navy blue mask. The girls agreed and changed into their training outfits. Kakashi waited for them out in the hallway, then led them down a flight of stairs, behind the dining hall and ballroom, and into a large, humongous, most gigantic room the girls have ever seen. "This is the training hall, girls."

Natural sunlight flooded into the hall from windows bordering the tops of the four walls. Against one wall was an opened wooden case full of various weaponry from the biggest axes to the smallest daggers and cherry bombs.

"Tenten would have killed to be here," Sakura murmured humorously.

The dirt floor was packed and littered with fresh straw. Against another wall opposite the weapons, was a staircase leading to a balcony where spectators would watch duels and other forms of entertainment. Targets lined the very back wall where Sakura assumed archers would practice their aim, but at the moment, a blonde figure was throwing daggers silhouetted with chakra. It was the perfect indoor training arena.

In the kunoichi's village, they would train outdoors no matter what the season, but Hinata preferred to save heavy training for the spring and fall. Cold air did nothing for you except for strangling your lungs with the whip like winds of ice. Usually they practiced their skill at this time. Agility and endurance training were suited for spring and fall temperatures. Summer contained any type of training that could be done in the shade or water. Sakura took in her surroundings, breathing in the fresh straw.

"Naruto!" Hinata cheered to the figure in the back. At the sound of her voice, he turned to face her and made his way to the party of three.

"Good to see you Hinata, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei," He greeted. "Are you guys going to practice today?"

Sakura beamed with pride, "Yep, prepare yourself for a spectacular show of kunoichi capabilities!"

Kakashi mused at the confident girl. "Well, Naruto, would you like to go first?"

"Uh, sure. Hinata, do want to have an accuracy match?" the blonde asked boldly as he offered a kunai to her.

Hinata confidently took the knife from him. "Byakugan!" Instantly, her opal eyes were surrounded by thin veins, pulsing with a steady rhythm. With a flick of her wrist, she met her mark. A bull's eye. Sakura smiled proudly at her friend and eyed Naruto. He whistled at Hinata's throw. Her eyes must have helped her aim. So this was one of the ups for having the byakugan. Naruto took a deep breath and launched his kunai onto another, pressing a little chakra into it for speed and power. He wanted to impress his girlfriend after all. Whistling sharply, the kunai soared across the room. Naruto's blue chakra tailed the weapon like a comet's flame. SMASH! The kunai pierced through the wooden target, leaving a jagged hole.

"Nice work, Naruto," praised the silver haired sensei. "You must have been working hard with captain Yamato.

"Wow, Naruto. I've never thought about using chakra on weapons before," Hinata admitted. Naruto bowed politely grinning from ear to ear. His goal for the time being was smoothly accomplished.

"Not bad, dobe."

"WHHAAA!" Naruto jumped. "Sasuke, don't do that! I hate it when you just pop up unannounced. We really need to put a bell on you, man."

"Hn."

Sakura thought about how cute Sasuke would look with a bell on. Uncontrollable, she let out a small giggle. Sasuke glanced at the pinkette, wondering whether or not he should ignore the response.

Wanting to be part of the conversation, Kakashi stepped in. "Well, since you're here, Sasuke, let's all begin a training session. First, let's take a round through the obstacle course."

"What obstacle course?" asked Sakura.

"This one," answered a new voice. Everyone looked up to a man with both hands on the ground, performing a jutsu. Instantly, a large, wooden obstacle course rose out of the ground complete with ropes, ladders, high walls, bars, heavy swinging objects, and other things."

"HEY CAPTAIN YAMATO!" Naruto greeted warmly.

"Hello, Naruto. Now, let's begin, shall we?"

After the training session, Sasuke and Sakura headed out the door early while everyone else discussed their own skill level. "Sakura."

"Sasuke?"

"There's a festival tomorrow, the night before the winter banquet. And-"

Before he could finish, Sakura reached up and kissed his cheek. "Of course I'll go with you, Sasuke." The prince stood there, shocked yet again by the kunoichi. She chuckled, "You didn't think I knew about something like that, did you?"

Naruto sank into his bed, tired of the afternoon's heavy workout. Since he hadn't worked his muscles very hard in such a long while, he knew he was going to be sore tomorrow. But all in all, he believed that he made a good impression on Hinata, especially when he saved her from falling off the tight rope._ But why did we have to have such a heavy work out? Kakashi probably wanted to test Sakura and Hinata. Oh well. What doesn't kill us will make us stronger, and at least we can relax tomorrow._ _Hmmm, tomorrow's the winter festival and the next day would be the winter banquet. I should tell Hinata and Sakura that Sasuke and I could take them there. It starts around five in the afternoon and should end around ten at night, after the fireworks. Maybe I should wear-_

He fell asleep before he finish his own thought and slept like the dead.

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**Ok, so i'm experiencing a little bit of writer's block. But don't worry. My editor and I are discussing several options and stuff. If you have an idea, I'm very flexible and would love to hear it, cuz... we got nothin. Again, i'm pretty flexible around other ideas.**

**Please rate and comment! **


	13. Chapter 13

**I just love the summer. Swim, hang out with friends, sleep in, play sports, go on vacation, and write all day long or do absolutely nothing! I don't know about some people but doing nothing productive is actually a really fun past time. If only parents can agree with that. And looking for scholarships are super hard! At least for me it its because i keep running into scam artists and cons and other stupid stuff. You know, they don't even make crap like they used to. **

**Oh, and writing a chapter on a crowded plane isn't as cool as what tv makes it out to be. Just letting all you people know for the heck of it.**

******Disclaimer:**** I do not own Naruto although i kinda wish i did. That way i can go to tokyo whenever i want and eat the best sushi!**

**Enjoy!**

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**Festival / Feelings**

"Sasuke? Sasuke. SASUKE!"

"What, dobe?" Sasuke threw open his doors with a menacing look in his cold black eyes.

"Look man, I know you really like your sleep and all, but have you even asked Sakura to the festival? Come on, I know you're a hermit, but consider her feelings, too! She's you're girlfriend and despite the fact that I wasn't a big fan of your relationship with her, I'm telling you that this is no way to treat a lady."

Without a word, Sasuke shut his door, too annoyed to listen to his friend.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto continued through the closed door. "You should have at least asked her a few days ago. Give her some time to even think about it. Do you even like her?"

"Naruto SHUT UP!" Sasuke threw open his sliding door, almost breaking them. "Since when did you become my mother? And I asked Sakura out yesterday. Go ask her yourself!"

"Fine, I will! But don't think you've heard the end of it, Temme!"

"Are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Don't worry about it. Sasuke can afford it. After all, he is a rich prince and he owes me."

Almost an hour later, Sakura's muscles turned to mush as the masseuse massaged her back. Hinata lay next to Sakura on another cot with a masseuse as well. A warm towel was placed on their lower body for the sake of modesty. The lights were dimmed. Not a sound was heard. All stress melted away with the scented candles lit around the room. True zen was achieved and welcomed. That is, until…

BOOM! "Sakura has Sasuke asked you yet!"

Without looking up, the pinkette responded, "Naruto, please knock. Hinata and I are trying to relax here."

"I know, but… oh…" Naruto said, dumbfounded by the half naked girls lying on their stomachs and two other ladies rubbing scented oil onto them. "Has… Has Sasuke asked you yet?"

"To the festival? Yes."

"Oh, okay. Um, Hinata?"

The pale priestess didn't budge from her spot. Sakura picked her head up from the cot and looked at her friend, waiting for her to respond to the blonde. "I think she's passed out."

"Um, I'll just talk to her later. Bye, Sakura."

"Uh- huh," Sakura responded lazily before relaxing as strong fingers caressed her tense muscles and soothed all negative energy.

_Alright, you got me, Sasuke. _Naruto thought to himself._ Maybe you're not such a hermit after all._

Dusk was settling on the town as the four teenagers made their way into the village. Each was dressed in a kimono, although the girls took the chance to wear more elaborate gowns than the boys. Sakura wore her long, pink hair down with a cherry blossom clip attached to the side. Her kimono was red and dotted with several cherry blossoms and small leaves and a light blue sash hugged her waist. It was somewhat similar to the gown she would wear at the banquet. However, this dress was thicker and more suitable for their outing. Hinata donned a cerulean blue kimono with a design of several koi fish. Along with a white sash, she looked like a water goddess. Her hair was also flowing behind her with a lily clip resting just behind her bangs. The boys wore simple kimonos, navy blue and orange.

"Where to?" Sakura asked with a need for some adventure in her voice.

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke. When he shrugged, Naruto smiled slyly. "First, let's get something to eat. I say ICHIRAKU RAMEN!" The rest of the party either took sudden interest in their feet or their surroundings, murmuring their disapproval for such a cheap meal. "What? Ichiraku serves only the finest ramen in town. All the ingredients are fresh and I've never gotten food poisoning from that place, unlike the infamous barbecue restaurant."

Hinata perked up, "Barbecue?"

Sakura noticed and processed Hinata's intentions very quickly. Hinata was always the shy and quiet type so whenever she wanted something, she never vocalized her own opinions. Fortunately, Sakura knew her all too well. Plus, she was craving for some Korean barbecue anyway. So, she piped, "Barbecue sounds nice. Let's go."

Sasuke nodded at both girls. "Well, the most popular one is just around the corner. Kakashi went there the other day and couldn't stop talking about it."

"Didn't you guys hear me? I said I got food poisoning from that place! FOOD POISONING! I was sick in bed for a whole day because I ate that stuff."

"Dobe, you got sick because YOU didn't wash your hands after handling that sick chicken you found in the sewers."

"Hey, that farmer was very happy to have his chicken back. Animals should be taken care of, not forgotten on the street to die."

Hinata smiled and her cheeks took on a light pink shade. "Oh Naruto, you're so thoughtful. I never thought you would have risked your health to save an animal."

Hearing his sweet girlfriend's gentle voice, the blonde straighten up and grinned in her direction. "Alright, let's go eat some barbecue. Are you cold, Hinata? You can sit near the fire and I'll sit next to you."

"Let's go, CASANOVA! I'm starving!" Sakura yelled from across the street. She and Sasuke were already heading towards the popular restaurant. No doubt Sasuke had already made reservations for them since he was the prince. Gently, Naruto took Hinata's arm into his and led her through the crowded streets while she giggled the entire way.

The restaurant was a traditional styled building with separated rooms for the willing-to pay-extra-for-privacy parties. Of course, Sasuke reserved the biggest and most extravagant room. Festive lanterns lighted the square room, a decorative flower vase stood proudly in one corner, a table built for four sat in the middle of the room with a single fire pit in the middle of the wood, and colorful plump cushions knelt on the ground. Paper walls lined the perimeter, lavishly painted with cherry blossom branches, ocean waves, and flying swallows.

"Wow, Temme. You've never gotten a room this great before." Naruto breathed.

Glad to finally get out of the cold streets, Sakura huffed, "Well, let's get started!" Sakura and Sasuke sat next to each other while Naruto and Hinata sat together at the other side of the table. Their meal consisted of steamed jasmine rice, steamed vegetables, spicy barbecued beef, sweet pork, miso soup, a cup of ramen to satisfy Naruto, and small sips of warm sake and water.

"Oh! Ramen! -_SLURP-_ I'm so glad they –_SLURP-_ serve you here," Naruto said while stuffing his face. Hinata giggled and quietly chewed her food.

"Since you're a little busy," Sasuke started with a devilish look in his eyes. _SLIP!_ He swiftly pulled down a divider that hung from the ceiling and separated him and Sakura from Naruto and Hinata. "That's better."

"Neat features this room has," Sakura admitted. "We don't have anything like that back home. I'll have to remember that divider." Hinata and Naruto chuckled at this. Now they had some privacy with each other but still remained as a four person group. Sasuke smirked at the pinkette beside him and ever so slowly put an arm around her waist. A whirl of emotions hit Sakura; from shock to anger to confusion and then to contentment. In return she leaned into him and whispered into his ear, "I know you're not pretending anymore."

"Yeah, I don't need to," he whispered back.

When the teenagers left the restaurant, the festival was in full bloom. Venders lined the streets, selling candy, pastries, toys, painted masks, fans, and other items. Games wove their way in between the venders. Acrobats entertained the crowds by walking on their hands and stacking on top of each other. One girl even bent herself into a human knot. Sakura and Hinata shuddered at the unnatural movements. They clapped and cheered, enjoying the entertainment.

Naruto strode over to a game stall and ushered the rest to follow. Inside the stall was an old man leaning over a large wooden trough. Normally it would have held feed for farm animals, but for this evening, it held water and several colored goldfish. "Well hello there," The old man greeted them. "Care to play the game? The object is to catch a goldfish. You may use these nets," he explained politely. "But, these nets are made of very thin and delicate fibers. These fish haven't been fed, and they're not shy of human interactions."

"Sounds like fun!" Naruto exclaimed. "What's the prize?"

The old man reached from behind his chair and pulled out a colorfully wrapped item. "For children, there is this. It is a small sack of foreign candy, the most delicious of all sweets in the world. And I have a beautiful assortment of hairpins for ladies. For the men, I have small, polished daggers. They're not to use in combat, but simply as a knick-knack."

"Alright, Hinata! I'm going to win you the best hairpin of your choice." Naruto stooped to his knees, paid a coin to the old man, and took a net. "Here I go," he said as his net came swooping into the tank, aiming for a black and white fish. Before he hit the surface, the turbulence he created startled the fish. They darted in all directions, avoiding the net as it crashed into the water. "Aww, I broke the net!"

The old man howled in laughter. "You must have never gone fishing before, eh? That's what all the kids try to do these days, swoop in and attack. Heheheheheheheh! Would you like to try again?"

Hinata and Sakura giggled but encouraged Naruto to try again. With renewed determination, the blonde handed the man another coin and took a net. He ended up with same result. "Dobe, you'll scare the fish away if you keep doing that," Sasuke scowled.

Deciding to save him from further embarrassment, Sakura suggested that he be gentler. He tried again, lowering his net ever so quietly near an orange and white goldfish; however, the fish seemed to forget about the previous attacks. Expecting a morsel of food, all the fish swirled into his net, thrashing around each other and breaking his net in the process.

"Now this time, you need to be more subtle, pull out the net once you've got one fish."

Naruto followed her advice, carefully dipping his fourth net into the water. A fish swam instantly into his net and before its buddies manage to attack, Naruto lifted the net out of the water. "I CAUGHT ONE!"

"Congratulations, kid. What'll it be?"

"Hinata, you pick. Which would you like?" Hinata pointed to an object that shocked them all, including Sasuke.

"Seriously? Hinata are you sure?"

"Yes, let's get that bag of candy. We can share it while watching the fireworks. I'll bet it's just as sweet as you," she inquired softly, her cheeks turning as pink as Sakura's hair.

Naruto let the fish back into its home and stood up. "One bag of foreign candy for the lady." With a smile, the old man handed over the childish prize and thanked Naruto for his business.

"Speaking of fireworks, they should be starting in a few minutes," Sasuke mentioned as they began walking away from the stall. "Let's get back to the palace before someone finally recognizes us. We can also get a better view from there."

"Great," Sakura sighed happily. "It's getting really cold out here." As if on cue, a gust of bone chilling air swept through the village, sending shivers.

Naruto and Hinata had stayed in one of the gardens. They sat in the tallest tree and shared a thick blanket and the bag of candy. Hinata cuddled closer to Naruto to take in his body heat. The moon shone brightly with very few clouds large enough to block its rays. After only a few minutes, the sky light up. An array of colors spouted out from a tower in the village, shooting into the sky and bursting into different shapes and colors.

The priestess's eyes widened in amazement as a red dragon formed after one large firework burst. Then, another dragon appeared. Naruto pointed to different shapes. "Whoa, did you see that one? It exploded into three different colors: red, blue, and yellow!"

"Yes, I did. Naruto, do you see that one coming up? It looks like it's going to be a really big one.

"WOW!" They both gasped as one exploded and expanded, making night into day. The whole town was lighted and every building was exposed. Green, blue, red, pink, purple, orange, and yellow darted all over the sky.

"Thank- Thank you, N- Naruto," Hinata stuttered.

Looking down at his beautiful girlfriend, the blonde replied with a, "No, thank you, Hinata." He then reopened the bag, "Candy?"

Sasuke and Sakura sat on a couch together on Sakura's balcony. Sasuke insisted that Sakura would enjoy the fireworks in her room since she had a better view of the village.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"You really are falling for me, huh?"

A light blush reached the Uchiha's face as he turned to the pinkette. _How does this girl always manage to shock him?_

She laughed, "I take that as a yes. But just one week was all it took to make me fall for you. So, I guess the feeling's mutual."

Sasuke pulled Sakura closer to him and lifted up her chin so that she was looking up at him. "Sakura, it's always been mutual." He leaned in closer to her slowly, carefully. She closed her eyes, her eyelashes brushing against his. Their noses grazed against each other briefly before their lips finally met. Sakura slipped her fingers into his hair while he pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. His other hand caressed her cheek so gently that it sent shivers down her spine and her breathing hitched, but she didn't pull back in the slightest bit. Instead she slid one hand onto the back of his neck, tracing soft patterns. With this, Sasuke gently bit the bottom of her lip.

"SASUKE!"

The couple tore away from each other, hoping no one had seen them.

"SASUKE! SWEETIE, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"That sounds like a woman's voice. And why is she calling you Sweetie?"

"Crap! She's back."

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**Like that? Hope you did! And puh-leez comment and review!**

**Is anyone else getting the feeling that they are being cast out? Maybe not necessarily, but some of the authors i really like are not uploading any new chapters. I don't mind waiting like a month or so but to not update in half a year without even an author's note really kills a story... and my patience cuz i'm starting to feel like i have A.D.D or something. **

**Any suggestions for later chapters? I'm working on the one that i recieved a while ago, but the more the better! Again, I'm pretty patient with ideas and thinking one through. i'm just not good at waiting on stories i like, so i'm trying to write as much as possible for you guys.**

**Again, please comment and review.**

**One more thing. since AU means alternate universe, doesn't that mean all stories on fanfic are AU? Cuz we pretty much fantasize about what would happen if this and that stuff. Just wondering. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Oi! I can't believe i actually wrote 14 chapters at this point. I've seen a lot of people stop at this point, but I think I'm gonna keep going. I don't see a good enough point to end it yet, but i am starting to have alot of ideas for other stories. Hmmm... choices, choices, choices. Anyway...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Now, if i did, I really wouldn't be here. lol ;D**

**Enjoy!**

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**Delivery / Concern**

"Who's that?"

"SASUKE-KUN!"

"This psychotic girl who's been obsessed with me for the past year," Sasuke answered. "Sakura, whatever you do, don't go out of your room tonight."

"Why? Where are you going?" Confusion spread across Sakura's mind.

"To warn the guards. She's supposed to be banned from coming here."

"But," Sakura protested, but the Uchiha was gone in a flash. "Humph, I'll just have to ask later." Grudgingly, she trudged into her room. But she felt a tug on her wrist. As she whirled around to face the cause, her lips crashed into another. He had come back.

"Good night, Sakura." He whispered into her ear and kissed her gently once more.

"Good night, Sasuke."

And he was gone again.

Morning rays swept across the floor of the priestess's suite. Her midnight hair cascaded in all directions across her soft pillow. She would have stayed in her state of peace if not for the slight tug at one of her long locks. Fluttering her eyelashes open, she glanced toward the source to find a messenger hawk nipping at her hair. Without startling the bird, she took the thin slip of paper and began reading.

Without further ado, Hinata bolted upright, threw some clothes on, and burst into Sakura's room. "SAKURA WAKE UP!"

The said kunoichi almost fell over her bed, trying to properly react to one of her best friend's breaking and entering act. "What? What happened?"

"Kurenai-sensei went into labor and Ino needs help!"

"What about Tsunade-sama?"

"WE NEED TO GO!"

In only a few seconds later, Sasuke raised an eyebrow at two kunoichis speeding through the palace on foot. Hinata was talking to Sakura in such a rushed rate, that he couldn't decipher their words. Naruto happened to be standing next to him, his head cocked to the side like a confused dog. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Beats me. Let's go," the Uchiha ordered nonchalantly.

"What about Karin? I heard she snuck into the palace-"

"Already taken care of," Sasuke interrupted and then took off at an unbelievable speed.

Naruto had no choice but to follow in pursuit. If it was just him, Naruto wouldn't really know what to do. _I wonder what was that expression his face? Concern? No, it couldn't have been. Normally, Temme could have cared less about random things happening. But then again, he always had some strange look in his eye lately. What was it? Maybe it's food poisoning and he's having a bad reaction to it. I've got to get Sakura to check his temperature. Where is she anyway? Oh yeah, we're following her and Hinata. _Naruto smack himself in the forehead while still trying to catch up with everyone else. _Stupid ADD and ADHD!_

The girls quickened their speed, leaping from roof to roof and ducking under trees. Their breathing pace became faster and faster as cold oxygen pumped into their flexing leg muscles. To run at an even faster rate, they surged chakra into their feet. If it weren't for such an emergency, Sakura and Hinata would have at least looked behind them to find Sasuke and Naruto trailing them, but this was a dire need to get to back home.

"So-HUFF- what happened to-HUFF- Tsunade-sama?" Sakura gasped, still trying to maintain her speed.

"She's- HUFF- had too-HUFF- much to drink," The priestess replied.

"And Shizune-sama?"

"In the- HUFF- mountains." Without another word, they were in the forest. Still, they took to the trees, an instinct to use them when time was not on one's side. _Hurry, hurry, hurry! Faster, faster, faster! Hang in there, Kurenai-sensei! We're coming!_

Sakura noticed how tense Hinata was. Then she remembered why. Although Kurenai was going into labor, that normally wouldn't be enough to rush back. However, Hinata shared a very close bond with Kurenai. When she was still a small child, she was very weak and often got sick from the slightest thing. Her mother and father wanted to disown her and had another baby girl. Her sister, Hanabi was stronger than her, but had an attitude that rivaled the need to have another child against dealing with the attitude itself. So, they busied their time with Hanabi rather than Hinata. The shock of it all left Hinata crying herself to sleep almost every night and Sakura, herself, had almost no idea how to comfort her for such a length of time except to be with her as much as possible. Later, Kurenai took Hinata under her wing and nurtured her into a solid kunoichi, teaching Hinata all the basics of fighting and survival skills. And when Hinata wanted more, Kurenai made sure that she was a well kept pupil of Shizune, the head priestess. To Hinata, Kurenai was a mother as much as Tsunade was to Sakura.

Now, Hinata's beloved sensei was going in a troubled labor and the only medics there weren't coping with the problem very well. Sakura knew that Hinata was fully aware of all the dangers that could happen. For one, Kurenai-sensei could die whether they came or not. Two, the baby could die and leave her heartbroken. Or three, they both could die a painful death. They would stand a better chance of survival if Sakura and Hinata could help in any way possible.

Finally, they had reached the village. Fortunately, Sakura still had enough chakra in store to use. Both were breathing heavily, but there was no time to spare.

"AHHHHHHH!" a desperate and painful cry ripped the wintry air as the girls rushed into the medical building.

"We're here!" they yelled.

A platinum blonde haired girl appeared in the entrance, her blue eyes wide in fear and relief. "Oh thank heavens! Sakura, she's been in labor for hours, and she doesn't look good. Hinata, even with Sakura, I need more help. Things aren't going right!"

The said kunoichis hurried into the building to see a pregnant woman breathing as heavily as they were. She was covered in sweat and twisted in pain. "Let's begin."

"Sasuke, wait up!" Naruto yelled, but the dark haired prince did not respond. Tired of it all, Naruto concentrated his chakra into his feet and the results were worth it. He quickly caught up to Sasuke and asked him, "Where- HUFF- do you think- HUFF- their going?"

Without taking his eyes off the trail, Sasuke replied, "Home."

_That's right!_ Naruto thought. How could he forget that the girls were from the forest. _But why? Are they homesick? Then again, they wouldn't have just left like that if they were. Especially Hinata. Was it something I said or did last night that made Hinata want to leave? Obviously if she wanted to leave, Sakura would have gone with her._ The blonde teen felt confused and heartbroken at this thought. He never meant to hurt Hinata if that was how she felt. But then again, he couldn't recall anything that had upset her last night. They just watched the fireworks together and shared some candy. What did he say? What did he do? What went wrong?

At long last, the trail ended at a village. And Sasuke traced them to a single building where there seemed to be a lot of screaming and yelling.

"Who are you?" demanded a voice from behind. The two teens turned to see a brunette girl about a year older than them with her hair combed into two buns on top of her head. "What's your business here?" She questioned with authority and venom behind her voice. Her big brown eyes narrowed.

Sasuke remembered the first time he met Sakura and how she had used that tone with him. _Jeez, _Sasuke thought,_ was it customary for women here to intentionally be cynical towards men?_

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke."

"And I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"We were looking for Sakura and Hinata. They're in here," Sasuke guessed bluntly while titling his head toward the door of the said building.

The girl shook her head in shock. "Sasuke and Naruto? I remember you guys now… from that time we saw you two while we were on border patrol! Hinata also wrote to us about you two while she and Sakura stayed in your palace." Then she raised an eyebrow at them. "What are you guys doing here? It's forbidden for outsiders to venture inside the village without permission."

Naruto spoke up, "Well, Hinata and Sakura just rushed out of the palace like they just saw a ghost or something. We were wondering what was wrong, so we followed them here. Can you tell us what's going on?"

The brunette glanced at the building and then back at them. "One of our sensei's having difficulty with her delivery. The only medic that's sober around here isn't as experienced as Sakura and Hinata, so she stepped up. But, things went wrong and so she called them here. I'm Tenten by the way."

"Wait, what do you mean by delivery?" Naruto asked, puzzled.

Tenten and Sasuke rolled their eyes, but she answered his innocent question anyway. "She's having a baby..." then her eyes darkened. "And… she might not make it." She took a deep breath and sighed, "I hope Sakura and Hinata can help her pull through."

Seconds later, a teenage boy with beady eyes and a spiky black ponytail in the shape of a pineapple came running towards them. He was soon followed by another boy and a dog. He had ruffled brown hair and red tattoos on each side of his face and his dog was HUGE!

"We came as fast as we could." The one with the red tattoos stated.

"Is she okay?" The one with the spiky black ponytail asked.

Tenten responded, "I really don't know Shikamaru. Kiba, what are you doing here? Weren't you on a mission?"

The one with the red tattoos replied and gestured to his dog, "We finished early, and Akamaru had a bad feeling about something."

They eyed Naruto and Sasuke, and Akamaru began sniffing the two cautiously. But, Tenten filled them all in. Akamaru relaxed, laid at Kiba's feet, and put his head in between his two very large paws. After a "yo" from Naruto, Shikamaru slouched against the wall, his face in his hands.

"What's up with you?" Naruto asked.

"Shikamaru took his hands away from his face to speak, "The woman in there is the sensei of Kiba and the wife of my deceased sensei, Sarutobi Asuma. He was the best teacher I ever had and his kid is going to be my future student. On his dying day, I promised to make sure nothing happened to that woman and child. But now… I don't know if I can keep my promise."

"Sarutobi Asuma? Hmm," Naruto racked his brain. _Why did that name sound so familiar? _"Hey, um… this may sound weird and all, but I think I knew him. He was the son of the third hokage back in our village. But, apparently he died in an explosion and his body was never found."

"What?" Tenten, Kiba, and Shikamaru questioned.

"Yeah, he his name was placed on a memorial stone a couple years ago."

Sasuke remembered the day that Naruto was describing. Since he had no relations to Asuma in any way, he didn't show any emotion, but spoke up. "So, he must have stumbled upon your village and wanted to live here."

"Could be," Naruto added.

Shikamaru sighed. "I guess so. Asuma wasn't always a part of this village. He joined us a couple years ago, so the idea makes sense."

Suddenly, an anguished cry seared from the building. Everyone tensed as they heard more shouting from within.

"It's not working!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"….."

"She's starting to pass out! If she stays out for too long, she's not going to make it!"

"She needs a c-section! Get me a scalpel, Ino!"

"Hold on, Kurenai-sensei!"

"Congratulations on the baby boy, Kurenai. You did well," Sakura assured the tired woman and bandaged her stitches.

Hinata came and dabbed the woman's face with a cool rag. "Th- thank you, Kurenai-sensei… for pulling through."

Kurenai spoke to her pupil through dull, weary red eyes. "Thank you for coming in my time of need, Hinata. How's the baby?"

The priestess smiled and smoothed Kurenai's hair. "He's fine, but you should rest."

Silenced passed between them for a few seconds, then Kurenai spoke up, "Sakura, Ino, come here. I want you all to hear this." Once the said girls placed themselves next to Hinata, she continued. "If anything ever happens to me, I want the baby to be raised with his godfather and that is Nara Shikamaru." They all nodded in respect, completely understanding the situation. Kurenai still had a long road and troubling road to recovery. Having a baby took a heavy toll on a mother's body and state of mind.

Immediately, the woman fell asleep, exhausted from the morning's stress. Ino began taking the blood soaked sheets outside, and Sakura wrapped the baby boy in a thick blanket and placed him inside a crib next to Kurenai's bed.

"Uhh, Hinata, Sakura?" Ino called through the opened door. Once they put their work on hold, she continued, "We've got some visitors."

All three girls walked outside to see Tenten, Kiba, Shikamaru, Naruto, and Sasuke standing outside.

Ino told everyone that Kurenai and the baby were fine and that they needed a lot of time to rest, so no one could visit them while they rested. Hinata passed out from exhaustion in Naruto's arms and he carried her back to the palace bridle-style while Sakura explained her actions to Sasuke.

"Yeah, Shikamaru told us everything," Sasuke said as he put his arms around Sakura. "You look tired. You want to take a nap before heading back?"

Sakura leaned into him and put her arms around him as well. "I'm dead beat, but I think I can get back to the palace." She then said goodbye to everyone else, telling them that she'd be back sometime after the banquet and walked out of the village with Sasuke.

"Sorry for making you worry," She apologized as soon as they were outside the gates. Sasuke looked down at the rosette, puzzled by the last sentence. "There must be some reason why you came all here, Sasuke. And yes, I saw concern written all over your face when I came out. Are you blushing?"

The prince smirked at her and kissed her forehead. On a whim, he decided it was the right time to make another move. He linked his fingers with hers.

At first, Sakura tensed up on instinct. She had never held a boy's hand before and it felt strange. But then, she got used to the feeling and adjusted her hand in his. She smiled up at him, and he smirked again.

"Sasuke?"

"Tired?"

"Yes. Carry me?"

Without a response, he lifted up the pinkette and carried her bridle style back to the palace.

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**Like it? I put in a little bit of excitement in there and added more characters. Let me know if you guys want to hear about the other pairings cute moments! And i might incorporate more of Kurenai's baby. Maybe some more medical stuff. I don't know. **

**Okay, some people think Naruto's a little out of character. What am I doing wrong? I mean, he can be a lot of things; childish, humble, forgetful, mature, funny... What am i not getting?**

**And for those of you who are new to my story PLEASE CHECK OUT MY POLL. I added a new option there and even if you don't care, please just look at it and think on it.**

**For everyone, please comment and review. I really like it when people give me some inspiration and correct my mistakes.**


	15. Chapter 15

**HI HI! Wow, this summer's really hot! I'm sittin' here with all the fans in my house running and I'm still hot. Or maybe that's just me. lol**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Surprised? I really hope not cuz then you'd need to visit the wonderful world of wikipedia**

**Inspiration: Trouble falling asleep and getting bored around the house.**

**ENJOY!**

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Realization / Compensation

As silently as he could, Sasuke slid open the glass doors from the balcony and into Sakura's suite. She had passed out about halfway through their trip. Gently, he placed her on the bed and pulled the covers over her sleeping form. Sakura shifted and mumbled something inaudible, but was silenced by the enchantment of sleep. Silently, he slipped through the glass doors, took one longing glance at the princess and… he didn't want to leave.

_What am I doing?_ He asked himself.

_After the banquet tonight, things will go back to the way they were in the beginning. _

_There's no point in this. So… why am I giving in like this? I shouldn't even be with her like this. _

_I shouldn't have any feelings for her at all. I don't need her at all. _

_But then, why am I still trying to get close with her? _

Sasuke sat down in a chair and faced her. He laced his fingers together, trying to solve the problem inside.

_Why? And what the hell am I doing trying to please her and be with her. _

_Hmph. This isn't going to end well. By the end of tonight, I won't need her. _

_But still…_

The prince reflected on the past month: from the time he set foot into the new palace all the way to this very second. He had pondered about the myth, found the truth, met this girl, lived with her for a week, trained with her, went out with her, and… fell in love with her. He had kissed her yesterday and today, he just carried her to her room simply because she asked him to. Normally, he would have objected and made her walk on her own, yet he didn't hesitate to carry her in his arms all the way back to the palace.

Sakura moaned and turned over again, facing him. Her eyebrows knitted but then relaxed and her breathing calmed. Sasuke caressed her cheek. Yes, he was in love with her, and he simply didn't care about what would happen after the banquet. Things would just fall into play on their own. With that in mind, Sasuke left her to rest.

It was three o' clock when Sakura stirred again, and she was starving. She lifted off the covers and – wait a minute! What was she doing in her bed? Sakura recapped all of the morning events in her head. The last thing she remembered was asking Sasuke to carry her back to the palace. Apparently, not only did he carry her back, but he placed her in her own bed and put the covers over her. How sweet. Sakura smiled to herself. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! She looked down at her own stomach and decided, "I guess I better get a snack."

Quickly, she hopped out of bed and brushed her hair, hoping that it would smooth the static out and walked briskly to the dining hall. There, she found Naruto eating a cup of ramen.

"Hey Sakura! Man, you missed out on a breakfast buffet this morning. It was awesome!"

"Naruto, I had to give a c-section to deliver a baby. I didn't eat breakfast. Anyways, there's a banquet tonight. Why are you eating? I think there's going to be enough food at that time. After all, banquets are supposed to have tons of food," she said to him while contradicting herself at the same time. She asked a servant to bring her an apple and a steamed bun to snack on.

"Haha!" the blonde laughed. "You're telling me not to eat and yet you're having a snack!"

Sakura retorted, "Again, I didn't eat breakfast and you had a buffet this morning."

"How did you know?"

"Because you just told me." Sakura took a bit out of her steamed bun and swallowed hard, forgetting that it was too hot.

Naruto racked his brain for another comeback at the rosette. "Well, someone's cranky when they haven't eaten yet. Geez, I hope you don't turn out to be one of those crabby pregnant ladies in the future."

Sakura choked. _Did he just imply a situation about her being pregnant? What just brought that on? _She coughed and sputtered.

"Oh, I uh… my bad." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck.

Just then a familiar dark haired prince walked into the room. "Glad to see you're up, Sakura," he remarked.

Her face went hot, and she blushed. "Hello Sasuke. Uh, sorry to say hi and run, but I need to start getting ready." She speed walked out of the dining hall and rushed to her room, embarrassed by that comment and then having to face Sasuke. It was just too awkward.

Sasuke turned to face his friend. "That wasn't like her."

Naruto averted his eyes away. "Actually it's only two hours until the banquet. Hinata woke up earlier and is still trying to get ready."

"Hn."

"Yeah, I guess women can really take their time just to get dressed. Hey Sasuke I've got a question for you."

"Hn."

"Did you and Sakura, uhh…" The blonde waved his fingers around, trying to finish his own sentence.

"What?"

"Well, I mean… did you have…"

"No. Why are you asking me that anyway, dobe?"

"Uhhh, just curious. Oh, would you look at the time. I need to meet up with Kakashi. Catch you later, Temme."

_Weird,_ Sasuke thought and his mind wandered back to the pinkette.

Back in her room, Sakura decided that she could use a ten minute nap, and she crawled back into her bed. When she awoke exactly ten minutes later, a familiar chakra signature filled one corner. Sitting in a chair was Tsunade. The pinkette rubbed her eyes again and her mentor waited for her to make the first response. "You know," Sakura began, "weird things always happen when I wake up this past week."

"Hello to you too, Sakura."

"Tsunade-sama, how are you feeling?" Sakura asked in a more formal tone.

"I'm still not completely recovered from my hangover, but I still have enough sense to send a shadow clone over to say thank-you for helping Ino. I've heard the entire story. You and Hinata did a good job. Tomorrow, I'm probably going to be sober enough to talk to you again. So, I want you to report back home tomorrow at noon. You need to give me some information on what you've learned here and I need to brief you on some other things. Oh and tonight…"

"Yes?"

"Stay on your guard at all times during the banquet. Listen and judge everyone as best as you can. I want to know exactly who our neighbors are."

Sakura got off her bed and bowed. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. I will."

"Good."

POOF! A cloud of smoke replaced her mentor.

_Just one thing after another_, Sakura sighed to herself and began preparing to look her best. After washing up, brushing her teeth as best she could, applied her make-up, and pulled her hair up, Sakura had a difficult time trying to decide which pin she should put in her hair. _Maybe I should just put on my dress and then go from there._ But even after she donned the red kimono, she could only narrow down her choices to two pins. One matched the golden phoenixes while the other complimented her sash. She leaned back in her chair and looked at herself in the mirror, debating on which item was worth highlighting.

"Sakura," a cool voice said through the doors.

"Come in!"

"Oh, Sasuke. Is it time already?"

The dark haired prince made his way towards her and leaned over her chair. "Hn."

She whirled around and out of her chair, a smug smile on her perfectly painted face. "How do I look?" She asked while placing her hands on her hips.

Sasuke took his weight off the chair and smirked at her. He tugged her wrists gently, bringing her closer to him. The Uchiha caressed her jaw line and murmured, "Like someone I want to give these to." And held out two boxes: one with a clear top and a smaller, rectangular box with a ribbon tied onto it.

Sakura peered into the one with the clear lid to find a beautiful mask. In awe, she opened the box and fingered the mask. It would end at the bridge of her nose, but still covered the upper portion of her face. The fabric was white with gold glitter and red and black swirls all intricately placed. "Wow. This is beautiful, Sasuke."

The said prince smirked again, relishing her happiness. "Let me put this one on you," he coaxed and slid the ribbon off the smaller box.

Sakura waited patiently for him. Finally, when he opened the box, she saw the perfect pin to wear, and it was the most breath taking piece she had ever seen. She gasped, "It's... it's so…" She eyed the piece with awe in her green eyes and the corners of her lips pulled into an even bigger smile. Sasuke placed the pin her hair and Sakura inspected it in the mirror. She fingered the object gingerly. The hairpin held a small bouquet of jeweled flowers ranging from ruby to sapphire to diamonds and even a mother of pearl. On top of the four flowers, a miniature figurine stood boldly. Sakura leaned closer to her reflection to make out its shape. It was a golden phoenix!

Her smile widen as she twirled around to face her gift giver. He put his hands around her waist. "I knew you would like it."

"How could you remember that this matched my kimono so perfectly? The only day you could have seen my dress was when we first met. And even now, I had my dress worked on to suit the colder weather," Sakura inquired, puzzled by the coincidence.

He only smirked once more. Pulling her close to him, he whispered in her ear, "How could I not forget the way you looked when I first laid eyes on you? I remember every detail like it was yesterday."

"Well," Sakura began sarcastically as she slid her arms around his neck. "I guess it's the least you could do after capturing me and then keeping me for a week."

The Uchiha rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed about the subject. "You're never going to let this go, are you?" She giggled and he continued. "Honestly, Sakura, I think you're trying to get away with as much trouble as you can. The least anyone else would do is just put you back in the forest. Maybe I should have done that," he teased awhile fingered a loose strand.

"But you didn't. Now we've both got more than we bargained for."

"It's all just compensation, I guess."

Temari rushed over to the hospital after a training session with her student, Matsuri. She found Shikamaru waiting outside the building. "How's it going?" she asked.

He glanced up at her. "Everyone's okay now. Tenten is helping Ino clean up in there."

Temari sat down and put an arm around comfortingly. "Hey, I'm just glad you're not falling apart. While I was training with Matsuri, I saw you running in this direction. Then I remembered Kurenai's kid was coming. Has she thought of a name yet?"

Shikamaru pulled her closer to him and smiled. "No, but I've just learned that Kurenai-sensei pronounced me as the godfather."

"So is that going to make me the godmother, soon?"

"Heh, once the Dragon tournament is over and done with. Then, yes."

"Aww, is that a proposal?"

Shikamaru's face turned pink and his mouth hung open in an "O" shape. Temari laughed heartedly and stood up, walking to the door. She placed her hand on the door knob. "I'm going to help out in there. But if you really like what you see," she declared coyly, "you better start training."

Inside the hospital, Temari found Ino feeding a wrapped little bundle with a bottle while Tenten was sitting on a chair next to her. "Let me see my god child," Temari beamed proudly.

Ino chuckled, "He's not yours until after the Dragon Tournament. Right now, he's _**my**_ patient."

"Hey, why wait?" Temari retorted playfully as Ino carefully gave her the baby boy. She smiled as the baby snuggled closer to her. A lump of black hair swept just over his closed eyes.

"Isn't he the cutest thing?" Tenten asked while peering over Temari's shoulders. "He opened his eyes a while ago. It's too bad he doesn't have Kurenai-sensei's eyes. But he looks a lot like Asuma-sensei."

"Yeah," the two blondes sighed.

"Where's Kurenai-sensei now?" Temari asked.

"I moved her to a quieter room," Tenten answered. "But, she's still sleeping."

The older kunoichi gave the child back to Ino and turned to the brunette. "Do you want to run a patrol with me? I need an extra teammate and Ino is going to be busy."

"Sure, why not? Let's get some air."

Just as they walked out of the building, they saw Tsunade walking back into her house. Shikamaru looked expectantly at them. _They must have been talking about something_, Temari thought.

"Lady Tsunade wants you two to watch over Sakura and Hinata tonight," he stated.

"Why?" Tenten asked.

"Tonight is going a special event at Sasuke's palace. Sakura and Hinata are going to be Tsunade-sama's eyes and ears on the inside while you two are going to be on the outside."

"Got it," they both said and disappeared in a flash.

After grabbing their cloaks, Temari and Tenten entered the forest. Instead of taking to the trees, they trekked on the ground. "Uh, Temari?"

"What?"

"Where exactly is the palace?"

"Uh… well, it can't be that hard to find. I mean, it's got to be freakin' huge."

"Hmm." Tenten murmured. Deciding to make better conversation, she asked, "Hey, how does Shikamaru feel about being a godfather?"

Temari ducked hopped over a fallen branch and waited for her companion to follow. "He's pretty excited about it. I wouldn't be surprised if he's holding the baby right now."

"Such a cute little fellow," Tenten smiled. Finally, the two kunoichis were out of the forest and walked around the now empty village. _I guess everyone is at the banquet now, _the brunette wondered to herself. They passed shops with living quarters on top, empty vending carts, and dark restaurants. The whole town was absolutely drained of life except for a few chicken coups and several pig pens.

"Oh, is that it?" Tenten pointed a ways ahead. Sure enough, it was the structure Hinata had described in her letters to them. "I wonder what Sakura and Hinata are doing right now."

"Probably dressed in fancy kimonos and talking to politicians. But you know, it's about time we got some more action around here."

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**Ok, as usual i hope you liked it cuz it took fo-eva to write all that. Anyway, I realized that i've completely left out the rest of the kunoichis for a while now so it's about time i started including them a little more. Do you guys like that? I know some don't because i post this story saying it's a sasusaku thing, but i like experimenting with other stuff. So long as it doesn't become the main idea and stuff.**

**Please comment and review! I love it when people do that. It gives me extra inspiration and a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Although it's still really hot outside... or is it just me? Who knows...**


	16. Chapter 16

**I've always wondered why the sky was blue. When I looked it up, i just got a big head ache with all these reflection and refraction stuff, not to mention all the ideas of colors moving through space and what not. I had to take a nap after working my brain that hard just to understand. whatever. it's not essential.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. lol I don't anyone here does.**

**Inspiration: Politics of today and way back then in roman times and seventeenth century, etc. etc.**

**ENJOY!**

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Interrogated / Defended

Sasuke was about to kiss Sakura again, but she held up a finger. "Um, my make-up is still fresh. I appreciate the offer, but I don't think your subjects would like lipstick on your face," she giggled. Instead, he held up her hand and kissed her knuckles lightly.

The door slammed open and a blonde in another orange formal kimono. Only this time, the edges were embroidered with black flames. A mask with a fox like face rested on the side of his head. "Hey Sakura, are you… oh, am I interrupting something?" His mouth hung open and his eyes were as wide as the moon.

Angry, Sakura yelled, "Naruto! There's knew polite thing to do before opening the door. I think you should try it out. It's called, KNOCKING!"

Naruto muttered a quick apology.

"I was just… giving Sakura her mask." Sasuke stated coolly and Sakura nodded nervously like a child caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

"Sure," the blonde said sarcastically. "Just save it for the wedding day. Anyway, if you two love birds are done now, we should get going."

Sakura took her mask and gently tied it to herself. Hinata then walked into the room and made eye contact with Sakura. "Kakashi-sensei just told me that we have to enter from one end of the hall while Naruto and Sasuke enter from the other."

Sakura paused. "Hinata, you look amazing!" The young priestess was wearing a dark purple kimono covered in a lavender bamboo branch design with a pink sash tied to waist. Her long, dark blue hair was tied in a bun, leaving a few strands and her bangs to add extra personality. A butterfly pin was planted in her hair as well. In her hands, she held a mask in the shape of a multi-colored butterfly.

Hinata smiled and returned Sakura's comment.

"Where are they?" Tenten asked, looking through the glass windows while still trying to balance on the tree branch. She squirmed around frustratingly.

"I don't see Sakura or Hinata at all. Maybe they haven't made an entrance yet." Temari replied. "Let's just wait." In the stillness, the girls studied the interior of the ballroom. Colorful lanterns hung from every corner. Against one wall, stood a massive cage of multiple vibrant birds fluttering around from branch to branch. Musicians played their sweet instruments in one corner as couples danced across the center of the floor. Servants in matching uniforms walked around, holding trays of sparkling champagne and offering it to the people mingling. Although, the silence that followed never lasted long. Temari broke the silence. "How are you and Neji? Is he going into the tournament as well?"

"We've been talking about it for a while. And since we're both 17, we thought we should wait another year. But, I wish we were already 18 like you and Shikamaru."

"Don't worry about that."

"I know. We are eligible at 16, but even at 17…it's just too young. But I'm still a little impatient."

"Yeah, I know exactly what you're going through. Shikamaru and I had the same talk." Temari soothed. Not too soon did the curtains inside the hall unfolded on the first floor. The two kunoichis studied two boys entering the hall. "Sasuke and Naruto are finally here." A cheer erupted from the crowd, but they ignored the applause and looked to the stairs.

Kakashi took a breath before speaking again through the microphone. "Now, these last two guests of the winter banquet have come from the Lost Forest, which has also earned the nickname the Forest of Death. No, these are not survivors, these are the true inhabitants, and Sasuke Uchiha has personally invited them here. Please welcome Princess Sakura Haruno and Priestess Hinata Hyuuga."

Several other guests clapped in respect as the said girls walked gracefully down the staircase and into the hall. Sakura whispered secretively into Hinata's ear, "Gee, Kakashi-sensei makes us seem like a newly discovered species." Hinata was so nervous, that she could only nod. All eyes were on them. Finally, they reached the end of the stairway. The boys held out their arms for the girls to take, which they took advantage of.

Kakashi made one last announcement, "Now that all our guests are here, eat, drink, dance, be merry, and be happy! Let the annual winter banquet begin!" Instantly, everyone was either dancing or drinking some champagne all the while socializing with each other. Kakashi met up with the four teens. "So, how are my favorite kids doing? What's so funny?"

Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Sasuke were holding back laughter with a hand over their mouths. Naruto was able to suppress his laughter enough to tell his sensei. "You're mask is hilarious!"

True enough, Kakashi's mask was white instead of the usual navy blue, but it was far from plain. The fabric sported a laughing smile with the most ridiculous mustache and his sharingan eye was covered as well. An embroidered ruby was stitched over the mask. Only his one eye was visible. "Oh, thanks! I picked it out myself." Then his voice lowered so that only the four could hear him. "By the way, Danzou's here tonight. I don't think there's going to be any trouble, but just stay on guard."

Sasuke and Naruto nodded, but Hinata and Sakura were confused. Thankfully, Kakashi filled them in. "Danzou is a man who possibly murdered the previous military leader, the hokage. Ever since then, he's become increasingly interested in taking over the entire country through military force. He's a very dangerous man, and we are trying to think of a way to get rid of him."

Naruto winked at them, "And that's when I'll be the new hokage. Oh, and where's Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked.

The copy cat ninja sighed deeply. "Wherever there's a group of women, there's Jiraiya-sama. He's wearing a toad mask."

"There he is! I'm going to go talk to him," the blonde exclaimed. "Hinata, do you want to come with me?" She nodded and off they went. Kakashi began talking with some of the other noblemen, leaving Sasuke and Sakura together.

A familiar person tapped Sasuke's shoulder. "Itachi, I thought you were at the original palace," Sasuke said in shock.

A tall man with long dark hair and black eyes smiled down on him, his mask hiding his entire face. "Foolish little brother, how could I not come and see you humiliate yourself in front of the ladies? But I guess the fun will not come, seeing you already have this beautiful doll here. Instead, why don't you introduce me?" he winked at Sakura.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and snorted. "Sakura, this is my older brother, Itachi Uchiha. Itachi, this is Sakura Haruno, my girlfriend."

Sakura bowed elegantly, relieved that her mask was able to hide her massive blush. "It is a pleasure to meet the brother of the crown prince."

Itachi took her hand and kissed it. "Not as much as it is to meet his girlfriend. Do you mind if I borrow him for the moment?"

Surprised but knowing that she had no choice, Sakura stammered, "Oh, of course."

"I promise it won't be long." He smiled while Sasuke wore a puzzled look behind his mask.

Once they were out of hearing distance, Itachi rounded on Sasuke. "What the hell, Sasuke? You never answered my letters and you never told me you had a girlfriend already. I know I told you to socialize for one, but at least tell me! I want to know."

"Geez, Itachi. Since when have you become Mom?"

"Since I've dubbed you crown prince, Sasuke. I just want a way to watch over my baby brother. You know I hate not being there for you."

"Itachi, I can handle myself."

"I know. But I'm your older brother, so I'm acting like one." He sighed as both Uchihas' gaze wandered over to a certain pinkette. "By the way, you have good taste, little brother. I can tell she's going to be a feisty one just by the way she's trying to contain herself over there with all those other men."

"Keep your eyes and hands off her."

"So she's not just a plaything for you? Or even a simple accessory for the night?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You have real feelings for her, don't you?"

The crown prince's eyes widened, but the elder Uchiha laughed and hugged him. "My little brother has finally fallen in love! He has a heart after all!" Itachi chuckled. "I need to thank Sakura-san for this."

"Uh-huh. I have to go, Itachi."

"Yeah, she doesn't look too happy."

Once the Uchihas left her, Sakura found herself bombarded by a hoard of people asking her questions. She took a swig of her champagne.

"Hello there," said a man in a flirtatious tone. "I didn't know forest deities were this beautiful." Sakura blushed again under her mask.

"Sakura-san, was living in the forest hard for you?" a woman asked.

"Oh, never. I was trained for forest life."

"I heard that there were spirits in the Forest of Death that kill men. Is that true?" a stout man asked.

"Well… people have mistaken us for spirits."

"Why aren't there any men from your hometown here tonight?" asked another woman.

"That's quite a long story. You see, there aren't exactly any men in my village. There are only women." A few young men drew closer to her, flirting with their charming smiles and kissing her hand.

After a while, someone remembered her previous answer and asked, "What? Then how do you women survive?"

"We learn to hunt, fish, and trade for ourselves."

"Absurd! That is work for men," said another man.

Shocked from his statement, Sakura didn't know how to retort and still maintain her ladylike manner. Still, more men drew closer with flashing smiles that could have competed with Rock Lee.

"Sakura-san, how did the prince save you from the Lost Forest?"

The pinkette laughed lightly. "I wasn't saved. The forest is my home. The prince and I met when I was patrolling the forest. He heard the rumors like you all have, and he wanted to investigate."

"You, a princess patrolled your own borders?" A man who was flirting with asked.

"Why, yes. Someone's got it to do it. And my queen ordered me to do so."

"So, you were doing a man's work?"

Sasuke's familiar voice came at last. "Sakura is a strong princess," he answered for her. He then wrapped an arm around her waist, signaling to the gawking men to back off. "She was able to send my friend flying into a tree, so I wouldn't prick her." He eyes stared menacingly at the men. Some of the women began smiling attractively at him, but he ignored them and walked away with Sakura. "Are you okay?" He inquired her.

"Yeah, but I feel like I was being interrogated." She took another swig of her champagne. Once she finished, Sasuke took the glass away from her.

"I think you should save some sanity for the dinner table."

"Oh my god, I've become my sensei," the pinkette sighed as she rubbed her neck. Sakura glanced slightly to her left, seeing all the dancing couples. With an innocent smile and a sparkle in her eyes she said, "Sasuke, you know how to dance, right?"

"Hn. Why?"

"Let's go dance," she tugged at his arm, and he followed. But before they could begin…..

"Dinner is served!" yelled a heavyset man in a chef's outfit.

"What do you think they're saying?" Temari asked.

"I don't know, but Sakura didn't look too happy about something." Tenten replied through her binoculars.

"Hey, when did you get those?"

A mischievous glint sparkled in Tenten's smile. "Some guy loaned it to me."

"You stole it on our way here, didn't you?"

"….."

"Did this guy happen to loan me one, too?"

Tenten fished inside her cloak and produced another set of binoculars. She tossed them over to the older kunoichi. "I think we'll have to move to another tree. Everyone's headed into the next room."

"Okay." With that, Temari and Tenten leapt onto two other trees. Peering inside, they saw another brightly lit and excessively decorated room. A few potted tropical plants dotted the perimeter and a fountain lay in one corner, harboring several koi of white, orange, red, grey, black, and gold. Another cage of birds of paradise lay in the opposite corner. Then, certain pinkette met their eyes, a puzzled look sketched on her face.

"Look, Sakura's sitting over there!" Tenten exclaimed.

"We can tell her about our mission after this is over," Temari waved a casual hand, signaling to Sakura not to worry. The princess held her steady gaze a while longer and then returned her attention to the other guests. She was constantly talking in her usual cheery mood and wore warm smile.

"I like whoever decorated the place: a tropical theme mixed with a masquerade," Tenten commented through her binoculars.

"Eh, it's a little over the top, I think. What is that they are serving?"

"Sake, some appetizers, and maybe some shrimp cocktail. Looks really good, doesn't it?"

"Now you're making me hungry, and I just ate."

"Hey look! Some one's coming outside."

"Shh!"

Sure enough, out walked an old man covered in bandages and a younger man with a purple mask. "Are you sure no one is here, Kabuto?"

"Yes, Danzou-sama. Now what was that deal you wanted to mention?"

"Patience my dear boy. First, I must tell you my plan. As you know, I am now the hokage, and I want to give the country even more power. That means we must have more land."

The man named Kabuto spoke up, "And you want to take over the Lost Forest."

"I prefer the Forest of Death."

"Of course, but you know that you can't do all by yourself."

"Kabuto, I know Orochimaru still lies within you along with unspeakable power."

The younger man laughed menacingly and voice changed. A horrible hiss took over, "Yesssss. What do I get in return?"

"All the test subjects of your desire and revenge against the Uchihas," replied Danzou. Temari and Tenten scowled, but remained silent.

"We have a deal," Kabuto sneered. They walked back inside separately.

Tenten's hands shook and Temari suggested, "I think this is the information Tsunade-sama wanted us to hear. Let's go."

"What- what about Sakura and Hinata?"

"They'll be fine, but we really have to report this as soon as possible."

About an hour and a half passed before the banquet was finally over. Ever one removed their masks to say their farewells. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura noticed her friends disappear into the darkness. She sighed deeply. When she turned around, she came face to face with an old man. Bandages covered his entire body.

"Hello Miss Haruno," he greeted in a husky voice. "I hear you are from the Forest of Death. Tell me about yourself."

Sakura stammered. _He's kinda creepy. _"Uh…well… what would you like to know?"

Instantly, she felt Sasuke behind. His eyes were cold as he said curtly, "Sakura is getting tired and the banquet is over. Good night, Danzou." Sasuke took hold of Sakura and swiftly led her away to her room, leaving Danzou to be escorted outside by a few guards. Once they were inside her room again and she washed the make-up off her face, he turned to her, "Are you okay?"

"Y- yeah. He's much creepier than I expected."

Sasuke hugged her tightly, "I don't want him anywhere near you, Sakura." He closed his eyes and took her scent in. "Are you wearing perfume?"

The jade eyed girl looked up at him, a wolfish grin spreading across her face. "Yes, do you like it?"

"Hn," he kissed her forehead. She tilted her head up and planted a kiss on his lips. "Good night, Sakura," he whispered in her ear before leaving. Sakura returned his farewell and reluctantly climbed into her bed.

* * *

"95% of teens & pre-teens would die if Miley Cyrus was standing on the edge of a tower ready to jump. 3% would say "JUMP!" Copy and paste if you are the 2% that would push her..."

LOL I can't even remember where i found that. I just thought it was funny.

Anyway, please review and comment. And thank you to those of you who have.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey again!**

**Disclaimer: I solely do not own Naruto. Just a few posters, t-shirts, videogames, stickers, key chains, a necklace, and one costume from Naruto.**

**Inspiration: Different ways of spelling things like the title and color/colour, etc.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Grey / Gray

Sakura awoke very late that morning. The sun was already high in the sky and the town was as bustling as ever. She anxiously looked over at the clock framed in clear crystals, but fortunately she didn't sleep until noon. Outside, tendrils of snow and ice laced the country with pure whiteness. Then, remembering her agreement with Tsunade, Sakura quickly got dressed in her warm clothes, grabbed her red cloak, and knocked on Hinata's door.

The priestess slid her door open, yawning all the while. "Wha… what time is it, Sakura?" She rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"About ten o'clock. We've slept in pretty late, Hinata. Tsunade-sama wants us to report to her. I think she has some information that we need." Understanding the situation, Hinata nodded. Sakura winked at her, "Meet me by the front gates of the palace in half an hour. I'm going to talk to Sasuke. The last time we took off, he and Naruto came chasing after us."

Hinata yawned again, "Okay. I'll get ready."

With that, Sakura took to the stairs again. She found Sasuke and Naruto sparring in the training hall. Almost immediately, they took a water break, and she made herself known.

"Sasuke? Naruto?" They both turned their heads towards her, breathing heavily. She saw a few clean towels in the on the bench and tossed one to each.

"Hi, Sakura! What's up?" Naruto greeted as cheerful as ever while Sasuke looked expectantly at her.

"Hinata and I are going back home for now. Our queen wants to see us," she explained while taking a swift glance at Sasuke. A servant handed them each a glass of water to cool off even though Sakura was practically shivering in the training hall.

"When will you be back?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura ran a hand through her hair. "I honestly don't know. I'll have to send you a messenger bird once I find out. Just don't worry about us this time." They nodded and Sakura turned to leave. Once she got to the solid wooden doors, she heard Sasuke call to her.

"Be careful, Sakura," he said to her.

Smiling, she turned to him, "Yeah, I'll make sure none of your hunters reach the forest borders." Then she made her way to the front gates.

"Ready to go?" she asked the priestess.

"Yes."

Tsunade slowly sipped her coffee…. And then spat it back out. "OUCH! It' hot, Shizune!"

"Ugh, it's coffee, Tsunade-sama. It's supposed to be hot. Anyway, you shouldn't be drinking anymore sake for a while now. You're blood pressure's getting too high."

The blonde woman scowled. "My blood pressure would have been fine, if you would have made my remedy yesterday instead of doing _my_ paperwork."

"Well, you should know your limits, Tsunade-sama. You should have reconsidered the consequences before you started emptying all those bottles of sake."

"Stop lecturing me! I'm the freakin' boss of this place!"

"I'll just get back to you when you're not cranky," Shizune announced and left the room.

"Make me that medicine while you're at it, damn it!" Tsunade yelled at the closed doors.

As Sakura and Hinata treaded through the thick snow to the main house, Shizune greeted them, "Glad to see you girls again. How was everything?" Before they could answer, she waved her hand dismissively, "Never mind, you should report to Tsunade-sama right away. And be careful, she's cranky today."

The girls knocked once on the door and immediately they heard Tsunade reply, "Come in!" Sakura entered the room followed by Hinata. They sat down in front of Tsunade's desk.

"Right on time, girls," she said in a surprisingly calm voice as if the whole argument with Shizune had never happened. "Now, Tenten and Temari have gathered some valuable information for me during the banquet. A man named Danzou and another named Kabuto are old enemies of mine. They are planning to take over our forest by military force to gain power and rule the entire country. And apparently, since they have shown up at this banquet, then they are acquainted with the foreigners."

"Foreigners?" Sakura perplexed.

"Our new neighbors, that Uchiha and Uzumaki," she stated bluntly. Her facial expression was stern. "They are now enemies of war, girls."

"No!" They both shouted. "Danzou is their enemy, too!"

The elder woman sat up, an eyebrow arched. "What do you mean?" Together, Sakura and Hinata explained to her the entire story of how Danzou came to power and that everyone was suspicious of him. Tsunade sat back in her chair, contemplating her options. Finally, she spoke again. "I see. From now on, we have no connection with the foreigners."

"What?" Sakura and Hinata cried out.

"This is serious, girls. Obviously, Sasuke and Naruto have deceived you girls into giving out information about us. Now, they know almost everything."

"Th-that's not true," Hinata stammered. "N-Naruto-kun cares about-"

"Don't you see they've been toying with your emotions? Girls, I know it's hard to believe, but the facts don't lie! Why else have they shown up out of nowhere? Why else have they captured Sakura, the princess? Think about it."

A cold and eerie silence filled the room. Sakura was thwarted with conflicting emotions. Was it true that Sasuke loved her? Yes, he had shielded her from Danzou, but could it have easily all been a trick? Did he really play with her emotions? All Sasuke shared with her; the walks, the date, their discussions, the fireworks, the flirting, the kiss. Was it all a fake?

Sakura looked toward Hinata to see that the priestess was in a worse state of mind. Her pale eyes were wide, tearing up and although her lips were parted, they still shook with fear. Her hands trembled.

Tsunade stood up. "For now, the village is on lockdown. Close the gates and set up these tags along the borders. Be back at sunset and bring others with you to do the job."

Without a word, Sakura and Hinata bowed obediently to the queen and exited the main house.

"This is not fair!" Hinata cried out and hugged Sakura. "It's not fair!"

Sakura struggled to hold back her own tears to comfort Hinata. "I know. It isn't fair, and I wish there was some way to truly know who is right. But… we have to stay loyal to our own village. That is the way of the kunoichi."

"I- I don't want to be a kunoichi anymore," Hinata sobbed.

Immediately, Sakura shook the priestess. "Hinata, how can you say that?" She only sobbed harder, and Sakura knew she was in no condition to fulfill their task. As a result, Sakura took her to her cabin. She set the girl on a couch and found a white rose still inside a glass jar. _The prophecy,_ she remembered. _Maybe this is a test… no, not yet. Not like this._

As soon as Sakura left to find Tenten, Temari, and Ino, Hinata stared at the white rose, her eyes now red with grief. The rose was still perfectly intact because she had used her special preserving formula to keep it as a reminder. She cradled the jar in her arms and curled into a fetal position, lost in her own storming emotions.

Sakura gathered her companions and explained the mission. She sent Tenten to the Eastern border, Temari to the Western border, and Ino to the Southern border. That left the Northern border to herself where she may encounter Sasuke again.

The princess treaded through the snow, her red cloak billowing in the cold breeze. She was freezing, but she continued onward. Finally, the border tree came into view as the pale sky dissolved into a grey color. With numb fingertips, she placed the tag on the tree. A steady roll of thunder rumbled through the atmosphere.

"What's the matter?" a velvety voice rang through her ears. She whipped her head around to see Sasuke, the enemy standing just a few feet in front of her. Surprise even made her tongue go numb, but for some reason, she knew this would happen. It was inevitable.

Finally, she swallowed and replied. "Don't talk to me. Our nations are now enemies of war."

Confusion spread across his eyes. "Sakura, what happened?"

She found herself explaining everything about Danzou and Kabuto. "Sasuke, I have to stay loyal to my village. And that means we are now enemies. Just tell Danzou we'll be waiting for him."

"I don't answer to Danzou and you know that, Sakura." He flash stepped to Sakura, closing the gap in between them. "He and Kabuto are my enemies just as much."

Sakura's eyes were tearing up again, but it was harder this time to hold them back. She clenched her fist, trying to hold back. That's when Sasuke leaned in and kissed her. Forgetting everything, Sakura kissed him back and laced her fingers through his hair. His breath was warm on her lips, and she shivered. He backed her up onto the tree with his hands snaking to her waist. Clinging tightly to him, she lost herself in his passionate kisses.

A crack of lightning lit up, breaking Sakura out of her trance. Everything came crashing down on her again. Pushing him away, she whispered, "Goodbye, Sasuke." The salty tears flowed out of her eyes as she took to the trees, leaving Sasuke. Drops of rain fell from the heavens and quickly thickened.

He tried to follow, but he couldn't get past the tree. It was a barrier and the only ones who could cross it were the kunoichis. Sakura didn't look back to a broken Sasuke with a hand on the tree.

Naruto searched the entire castle. _Where the hell are you, Sasuke?_ He and the prince were supposed to finish their training with Kakashi-sensei, but the said teen never returned from their lunch break. It wasn't like Sasuke to bail on anyone even if he didn't care. The blonde shouted, "Sasuke! Where are you?"

He searched the entire town until he came towards the forest borders. There, Naruto finally found his friend, drenched in the rain and staring into the darkening trees. "Hey, Sasuke, what are you doing?"

Sasuke didn't say a word. Instead, he turned and headed back towards the palace. The gray sky was turning darker and Naruto knew a bad storm was about to unfold. He looked at Sasuke's face. The same stone cold expression stood. Then, a fear struck the sixteen year old. "Where are Hinata and Sakura? They should have been back a while ago."

"They're not coming back, Naruto."

Confusion spread across the blonde's face, but he shook it off. "What do you mean? If this is another joke, I'm not laughing."

Sasuke's stony eyes went cold. "Naruto, I don't joke." And he began relaying the information to his friend. After a solid ten minutes, Naruto was still confused.

"Well, didn't we tell them that Danzou is definitely not on our side?"

"Yes, dobe. We did! Loud and clear!" He hit the boy on the head. BONK!

"OWIE! What was that for?" Naruto asked, rubbing his sore head.

"I just told you that Tsunade-sama didn't believe a word to their story. Now we have prove ourselves!"

"Dude, don't I usually say stuff like that?"

"Yeah, and I already feel like crap for saying it."

"It's not crap! It's my ninja way!"

"Whatever, dobe. Now here's the plan. Sakura and Hinata both are kunoichis, and they have others with them. The obvious thing to do is to gather some information on Danzou and Kabuto. Now we are going to do the same."

Naruto went numb. "But I really don't like them, especially Kabuto. The whole Orochimaru and snakes thing he's got going on is just plain creepy. When you were training with Orochimaru, your techniques freaked me out all the time, man!"

"Doesn't matter. Think about Danzou. Do you want to be hokage?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you're going to overthrow him."

"ALRIGHT, AND THEN I'LL WIN HINATA-CHAN BACK! YEAH BABY!"

Sasuke sighed and walked back towards the palace. "Whatever, dobe."

Naruto followed shortly and asked, "I'm surprised you came up with this, Sasuke. You must really want Sakura back. That or the fact that the kunoichis could declare war on us at any time."

"Hn."

"So which is it?"

Sasuke never answered.

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**Hope you liked it! And again, please review, comment, and if you can, check out my poll.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey people! I've got nothin' to say besides the fact that my own title sucks and i don't plan on changing it. Sooooo...**

**Disclaimer: i do not own Naruto or Rush Hour**

**Inspiration: Rush Hour 3 scene**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Great minds / Think alike

Storming fearlessly into the queen's private office, a bold pinkette slammed her hands on the desk. Her jade green eyes bore straight into the queen's surprised tawny eyes, a smirk played on the girl's lips. "Give me every mission you can get about Danzou, Kabuto, Naruto, and Sasuke!" She demanded.

The queen broke into a chuckle. "Ha-ha! That's the spirit, my pupil." She waved her hand dismissively. "Of course, I intend to give all those S rank missions to you, Sakura. But, why may I ask, do you desire such a task?"

Sakura answered through hooded eyes and a hard expression, "Because Sasuke betrayed me. And in doing so, he BETRAYED MY VILLAGE!"

Again, the queen chuckled. "You sure have inherited the kunoichi way. Very well then. You're first mission starts tomorrow. I advise you to take Hinata with you. Her byuakugan will help aid you on your journey. Report back here whenever you're ready."

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama," Sakura said as she walked out the door. As soon as she closed the door, she turned her attention towards the bushes. "You can come out now."

Two pale opal eyes reflected the remaining sunlight from the horizon and then Hinata's shape emerged from the green. Silently did she creep out into the light and stepped towards Sakura, a worried expression painted on her porcelain face. "I heard everything. Sakura, you weren't serious were you really going after Sasuke and Naruto?"

The princess turned to her companion, a sly smile spread across her lips, but her tone did not stir. "Come with me to the tree house. You and the others."

"Well? What is it, Forehead?" Ino shrieked aloud. She, Tenten, Temari, Hinata, and Sakura were huddled together in their thatched tree house. A cold wind swiped the side of their shelter viciously, but the walls held their place.

Sakura lit a candle to shed some light on their secretive meeting. "Alright," she began. "Tsunade-sama believes that her worst enemy is linked with Sasuke and Naruto."

"Who are they?" Temari interrupted. The candle flickered.

Tenten answered, "Remember the guys who we caught trespassing in the fall? Naruto was the blonde idiot and Sasuke was the one who held his ground against us."

"Oh, now I remember. Sorry, Sakura. It's been a while."

The pinkette nodded and continued. "Tsunade-sama's enemy in this case is an old man named Danzou. In Naruto and Sasuke's village, Konoha, Danzou killed the previous ninja general, the hokage, in order to gain that seat of power. Apparently, Tsunade-sama has some ordeal with him and sees that he is from the same village as Sasuke and Naruto. Because of this, she identifies those two as enemies of war as well. Now, since we don't know the whole story, I say we figure this out. Tsunade-sama doesn't seem keen to tell us anything about her angle on this, but I just got a mission from her concerning those three men."

Sakura took a deep breath before moving her topic forward. "When I was at Sasuke's palace, he and Naruto told me of Danzou. According to them, they despised Danzou and label him as a dangerous, bloodthirsty person and tried to keep me and Hinata away from him. I told this to Tsunade-sama, but she wouldn't believe me. Instead, she insisted that Sasuke and Naruto were only toying with our emotions."

Tenten snorted. "Well that's bull! I had my doubts about them first, but as soon as they came looking for Sakura and Hinata, I could see their emotions. And, they weren't just concerned about their girlfriends." The brunette winked at Sakura and Hinata. "I mentioned why they were here and Kurenai's condition, and they were able to sympathize. Sasuke didn't show it as much as Naruto, but that's probably because he's doesn't like showing emotion. If that's just acting, then it's a pretty good act. I honestly don't think they are a threat to us."

"Likewise," remarked Ino. "What do you think Temari?"

"I honestly don't know. But from what I've seen at the banquet, I know for certain that we've got to be careful with Danzou and Kabuto. To prove Sasuke and Naruto's innocence, we definitely need evidence."

"So you suggest we spy?"

"That's exactly what I think we should do," Temari answered. "Tsunade-sama won't assign us any other missions for now except for S class ones that have to do with them. So in our free time, we should track down some stuff."

Sakura smiled gladly. "Sounds like a good plan."

Ino shook her head. "Wait a minute, girls. Suppose that we do spy on them and we find out that they are innocent. How are we supposed to convince the queen?"

Everyone held their heads with their hands, silent in thought.

"We should find a reliable source."

"Agreed."

The morning mist hovered inches above the ground as new snow floated pure white towards the ground. Tsunade dipped her pinky finger lightly into her coffee, testing the temperature. After being satisfied that it was not too hot, the queen lifted the dark liquid towards her lips and took in the warm brew.

"Ahh, coffee in the snowy morning, almost better than sake in the rain," she sighed. KNOCK! KNOCK! "Come in! I'm a busy woman so make it quick. Oh, Sakura! Hinata! I'm glad you came. Don't worry about taking those boots and cloaks off. I'll be brief."

Obeying their queen, the said kunoichis simply closed the door and stood where they were in silence.

"Alright, I need you girls to go back to the palace. Stay there every night and before you go to bed, send me a status report over anything you can find about the enemy. As for the boys, woo them to their heart's content and casually worm some information out of them. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," they both replied blatantly.

Hinata watched her companion worriedly as they made their way to the palace. "Sakura-chan?"

"Hm?"

"I don't like how we are technically going against Tsunade-sama."

"Me neither, but we have prove to her that Sasuke and Naruto are innocent."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Hey Hinata, is it alright if you explain all this to Naruto while I look for Sasuke? I have a lot to explain to him."

"What do you mean, Sakura?"

"I… saw him in the forest when Tsunade-sama had me put up those barriers."

"Oh," the priestess nodded sympathetically. Once at the palace gates, the pinkette started bounding up the palace walls and vanished from sight. Hinata took off into the gardens, searching for Naruto.

Within a few minutes she caught a flash of yellow directly in front of her. Instantly, she launched through the air towards the yellow object and immediately she saw Naruto headed straight towards her in mid-air. "Naruto!" He caught her eye as they each landed on the ground.

Naruto sprinted towards Hinata in a flurry of happiness and excitement. "HINATA!" He hugged her tightly, causing her to blush madly. "What are you doing here? I thought Tsunade-sama forbade you to see me."

"Well… ah… well…can't… breathe…" She choked.

"Oh, sorry Hinata. I was just so happy to see you."

She giggled. "Well, here's what happened…"

Sakura slipped through an open window and dashed across the hall. She knew his room was somewhere in the West Wing, but there were a lot of rooms in the West Wing. Sakura stopped short to think. A maid with bright red hair scurried past her, carrying a basket of clean and folded towels. Her heels clacked loudly against the floor. Sakura decided to ask her for directions and if worse came to worse, she could easily knock her out.

"Excuse me, but where might I find the prince's chambers?"

The maid stopped in her tracks and cringed as if she didn't plan on being conversed with. Slowly, she turned around with a fake smile on her face. She pushed her glasses back with a single finger. Sakura studied her, watching to make sure that she told the truth. If her eyes averted to the right, she would be recalling a memory. However, if her eyes swept to the left, she would be lying. The maid tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear, although she didn't look any more spectacular since only one side her hair seemed to be well brushed and straight while the other side was wild and out of place. Her name tag read, "Karin"

She answered Sakura's question and pointed the way she came from. "The prince's room is down that hall and the last door on the left." Her red eyes flicked away from Sakura. That little redheaded cheat just lied to her!

Karin took a few more steps in the direction she was originally headed, turning away from Sakura. Sakura decided to play along. She concealed her chakra and leapt to the ceiling, following the redhead. Obviously, she was up to no good, especially if she lied. Her loud black heels concealed Sakura's own footsteps as she followed Karin.

After turning the corner, Karin giggled to herself. "Ha-ha! Karin, you've done it again! This is my next chance to finally seduce Sasuke. This time, I'm going to be his sexy maid! And he'll go nuts!" Just as she was about to slid the door open, Sakura dropped from the ceiling and landed right behind Karin. The pinkette gently tapped the girl's neck, and she immediately fell unconscious into Sakura's arms.

Sakura dragged the girl to an empty room and after releasing her, she realized that she was in a storage room for maids and butlers. A rack was filled with maids' uniforms and gear. Sakura still didn't know where Sasuke's room was, and she didn't think she should ask any more maids. So, she slipped into a maid's uniform and inspected herself in the mirror. The black dress fit exactly to her curves and the white apron and sash proved not to be so daunting. All that was left was a name tag. Sakura searched the room for one, but couldn't find any. Finally, she stole Karin's label and pinned it to her dress. For safety precautions, Sakura absorbed the girl's chakra signature onto her in case anyone realized the difference.

_There,_ she thought. _Now no one can question who I am. But I still need to deal with that girl._ Sakura glanced at the unconscious girl and then at the window. She peered through the glass and found a large horse-drawn cart full of hay. The stack was so tall that it was only fifteen feet away from the window. Her jade green eyes went back to Karin. _Eh, what the heck. She was obviously up to no good._ So, she opened the window and chucked the girl out. The horse seemed to shudder from the sudden increase in weight, but remained calm none the less. Sakura stuffed her clothes into a brown bag meant to carry dirty laundry, tossed it into the laundry basket full of towels, hoisted the basket onto her hip and headed out the room.

Around the next corner she found a butler lugging a heavy tray full of china. "Excuse me," she said politely. The butler set his tray down to draw his attention to her. "Hello, I'm new here. The head maid told me to take these clothes into the prince's chambers. Um, where may I find it?"

"Down this hallway, up the next flight of stairs, and the second door on the left."

She thanked the man and walked briskly towards Sasuke's room. After the long travel on heels, Sakura finally came to Sasuke's door. Although she didn't sense his chakra, she knocked anyway. When there was no answer, she let herself in, but no one was in the room. Wearily, she set the basket down and rested on a chair. She rubbed her aching feet until she heard a few footsteps coming her way. With the sound, came Sasuke's chakra signature, and she quickly put the shoe back on and crossed her legs in a lady-like manner. The door slid open and Sasuke walked in with his back to her, but he stiffened up and whipped his head around to look at her.

"Hello, Sasuke."

A kunai sailed past her head as Sasuke launched into action. _Whoever this person was, they had some nerve to pretend to be Sakura. Her name tag read "Karin" and that amount of chakra was definitely Karin's._ _She must have seen Sakura before and transformed herself to look like her, but she had the ignorance to keep that name tag._

"What the…" the girl before him said before dodging his every attack. "Sasuke!"

With a grunt he managed to throw her across the room, but she was ready. The girl concentrated her chakra to her toes and bounced harmlessly off the walls. "Ah! You don't have to be so ruff," She breathed as she pointed to the name tag. "This isn't mine. I swiped it off some maid to go incognito to get here." Sasuke threw another kunai at her but she caught it and threw it back at him. With a thump, it nailed itself into the wall. They continued to wrestle with each other until the name tag fell off and Sakura's chakra signature came back into focus. "Sasuke," she panted while leaping from the ceiling. "I infused this name tag with a bit of Karin's chakra so that no one could see that it was me here."

"Oh," Sasuke panted. With his guard down, Sakura slammed into Sasuke, pinning him to the floor.

Down the hallway, Naruto and Hinata were making their way to Sasuke's room. "Hinata, do you hear that?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, it's coming from that room over there."

"That's Sasuke's room. Wait, didn't you mention that Sakura went looking for his room?"

"Yes, but…"

The two crept up to the door of the prince's room to only hear every other bit of their conversation.

"Ha!"

"Ahhhhhh! You don't have to be so ruff."

More panting and groaning followed. Naruto's eyes were wide while Hinata's face turned beet red. She whispered in his ear, "I think they're busy." Naruto turned his attention back to the door, listening for more.

"OHHH!" A loud thump followed. "Ahhhh."

"Sakura."

"Sasuke."

The door bust open with Naruto and Hinata standing in the doorway. Sakura and Sasuke snapped their heads towards the open door.

"This isn't what it looks like!" They both exclaimed.

Naruto's eyes were still wide as he replied, "Whoa Sasuke, I never knew you were the kind of guy who liked girls on top."

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**Funny huh? I was watching Rush Hour 3 for the umpteenth (sp?) time and finally decided on this. hope you all liked it.**

**Please comment and review.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Happy New Year everybody! And hello 2011, though it wouldn't be as cool to say as 2010 or 2012 in the future. And i have to admit, i really suck at uploading these stories. I know its been a while and some of you readers may be frustrated with me. Its just so hard to find good inspiration these days.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but it would be really cool to do so. Oh, the things i could do with the series... I also do not own Square Enix or this really funny joke my dad toke me the other day. It was a political joke so i modified it in this chapter.**

**Inspiration:**** Commercial of new season of Merlin and Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and Final Fantasy VII ADVENT CHILDREN**

**And now...**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Explanation / Extraction**

Immediately Sakura released herself and stood up. "It really isn't what you guys think," she said with her palms up. Sasuke stood beside her with eyes cast off elsewhere. He was avoiding eye contact with anyone.

Naruto burst into laughter and sarcastically chuckled, "Oh yeah, it was all an accident! One moment you guys were talking and the next minute you both were on the ground moaning to each other!"

"No! Sasuke attacked me!"

"Oh yes, he did! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Shut up! It wasn't like that, dobe!" Sasuke interjected.

"Dude, what other reason is there?"

Finally, Sakura had the chance to explain her story to everyone, including Naruto. She told them how she ran into Karin, knocked her out, stole her name tag, snuck into Sasuke's room, and how Sasuke had misidentified the chakra flow and attacked her. Then she explained the dilemma between the village and the palace.

"Tsunade heard word of Danzou's arrival and immediately went into village lockdown. She doesn't trust any outsiders and assigned me and Hinata to become spies here."

Upon hearing this piece of information, Sasuke, strode over to the window. His eyes seemed hollow but his lips and nose were pressed ever so slightly. Sakura knew he was thinking to himself.

Naruto crossed his arms, thinking as well. "It seems that Danzou has quite a reputation. I think we should talk to Pervy Sage." Hinata nodded at him and he sprinted off into the hallway to execute that thought.

Pale opal eyes gazed back at jade and onyx ones. Hinata smiled and excused herself from the room, saying that she was going back to her room. She closed the door gently and walked down the hallway, but before the hit the stairs, she sent a clone, concealed its chakra and sent it back silently towards Sasuke's bedroom again. Hinata herself kept walking while keeping tabs on her clone. The clone attached its feet onto the ceiling and crept up to Sasuke's door, listening.

"I'm glad you're back, Sakura." Sasuke said form inside the room.

"It's great to be back….. I missed you… even though it's been only a few days."

"Hn."

Hinata heard a soft rustle and the click of their lips interlocking with each other. Then, a whisper came, low and incomprehensive. Hinata could only guess that it was Sasuke whispering into Sakura's ear.

The princess giggled lightly, "I think we should stay in separate rooms tonight. According to Naruto, these walls have ears."

Taking this as a warning, Hinata canceled out her clone jutsu and vanished with a light puff of smoke.

Somehow, the white haired Sanin could not be found throughout the palace. Frustrated and worn out from sprinting all over the palace complex, Naruto wandered into his room and collapsed on the bed, but his pillow felt strange. Adjusting his position, Naruto found a small scroll tucked underneath the pillow. Naruto read and reread the scroll over a dozen times, but just couldn't make his brain translate the scribbles of ink into words and thoughts. Too tired to care anymore, he slumped back into his pillow.

When morning came, sprouts of sunshine came tumbling into Naruto's room, arousing him from his deep slumber. He saw the scroll, unrolled and crimpled on a pillow next to his head. He picked up it and reread it.

_Dear Naruto,_

_I know this is such short notice. I just need to relax in the hot springs. Don't worry, I'll be back soon to keep on training you._

_Jiraiya_

Naruto bolted out of his room dodging chamber maids and the morning servant bustle around the castle. Down the halls, he screamed, "Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke! SASUKE! SASUKE! SASUKE!" But he didn't find his target until his feet instinctively brought him to the dining hall where everyone was taking their breakfast. "Guys! I know where Jiraiya-sama is!"

"Where?" They all asked him.

"He's in the Konoha hot springs! He left me a letter before he left." Hinata and Sakura glanced at each other and smiled. "Have you two ever been to Konoha before?"

Hinata spoke in her soft voice, "We've been there."

"It's one of our favorite places in the world to be," chimed Sakura.

"Then let's go," Sasuke declared.

Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Pack your bags ladies and gentlemen, and Sasuke. WE'RE GOING TO KONOHA!"

Everyone gathered all their essentials that could fit in a bag and headed out for the front gate, until Kakashi stopped them. "You're forgetting the horses," he said, leaning against the gates while reading a little orange book.

"We don't need the horses," Sasuke claimed.

"The villagers will see you, and they will expect you to be riding palace steeds. You are of nobility. All of you."

"They won't see us."

"Yes, they will. I would say take a carriage or two, but that would slow you down, wherever you guys are going."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, but Naruto, filled with enthusiasm, interrupted, "Can I take Lightning?"

Kakashi turned his attention to the blonde, "No, she's still nursing her colt. You should know that, Naruto."

"Can we go into the stables and pick then?"

"Yes, just leave with some good horses. Where are you going anyway?"

Naruto threw his fist into the air again. "KONOHA!"

With a satisfied Kakashi, the four ninjas took to the stables. Naruto's steps had an energetic bounce as he told everyone of his love for the stable horses when he wasn't even a genin. "I've got to tell you girls all about these horses. They are the best of the best."

"Good lord, here we go again," Sasuke complained before sitting in a chair and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Naruto ignored him and continued, "Lightning, the one I was talking about earlier, is the white mare over there. She's the fastest warhorse this palace has seen. She can also be a pretty horse to show off in the parades. Two weeks ago, she gave birth to Cloud," Naruto gestured to a light grey colt with a black nose, tail, and stockings standing next to his mother in the stall. He's gonna follow in his parents footsteps once he gets older."

Hinata smiled and pointed to a sleek, jet black stallion, "Aww. What's that stallion's name, the black one over there?"

"That's Knight, Lightning's stallion of choice. They get along real well, if you know what I mean. He's another warhorse and the only male around here who wasn't rejected by Lightning. Sasuke usually rides him and since Lightning's my horse, that sort of makes us in-laws!"

"Good God, Naruto," Sasuke muttered and pressed his palm to his face. "Where do you come up with this crack stuff?"

Naruto made a sour face and went back to the horses. "That other white mare is Serrah. She's not a warhorse like her sister, Lightning, but she's makes a great show horse since she's a bit more dainty. Actually, that may be because she refused the tougher training exercises. Anyway, this light brown stallion with white markings is Villiers. Villiers is a reliable carriage horse, but he lacks that sleek look which is why we've been trying to breed him and Serrah together. So far, nothing's happened, which means they're both up for riding."

Naruto became silent in thought for a while, thinking to himself. "Hinata, Sakura?"

"What?" They both replied.

"How are your riding skills?"

Sakura answered confidently, "I don't ride often, but I know how to stay on the saddle in a full gallop."

Hinata stuttered, "Uh- uh, I don't ride very often. I-I prefer walking, b-but I can try."

"Okay, so Sasuke still takes Knight, I'll take Serrah since she still may not be used to other people, Hinata should take Villiers because he's gentle for new riders… That leaves Sakura… And I've got just the horse for you."

The blonde walked briskly to the last stall and patted a dark brown mare on the neck. "This is Fang. Don't ask me why that's her name but she's a sturdy traveling horse. She also works well with others and since her own foal is weaned from her, she's eligible for riding again."

Hinata skipped over and peered into the stall next to last. "Is this her baby?"

"Yep. Her name's Vanille. She's been weaned for about four months now, but still undergoing training." The philly whinnied and stuck her nose out to be petted. Hinata gave in to her cuteness and patted her.

Once everyone saddled their horses, they led them out of the stables. And set off for the long road ahead. Naruto teased Sasuke again about being in-laws based on their horse's relationship and that earned him a large bump on his head. As he rubbed his bruising head, Naruto fell behind to chat with Hinata and give her advice on how to handle a horse. Not wanting to be a third wheel, Sakura left them alone and nudged Fang into a trot until she caught up with Sasuke and Knight.

"So, Naruto sure does know a lot about horses," she began, attempting to start a conversation with him.

The dark haired prince took the bait and replied, "Naruto didn't have a lot of friends when he first moved into the palace back in Konoha, so he spent much of his time in the stables."

"What do you do in your free time?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Train and try to become stronger than my brother."

"Oh," Sakura was having trouble trying to relate to that until Sasuke continued.

"But for a while now, I've just been thinking about you."

"Huh?" Sakura was now completely thrown off guard.

"I can read your emotions and intentions like an open book, Sakura, but I still sometimes wonder how you manage to come close to me in hand to hand combat." The pinkette blushed. "See?" He indicated to her. "But in a serious battle situation you seem to turn off that ability."

Feeling cocky with his comment, Sakura retorted, "But of course, that's what a kunoichi does. We stand and look pretty and in combat we mess with your mind." She laughed at her own remark. Sasuke just smirked at her.

They were about a third of the way to Konoha by nightfall and Hinata was starting to grow weary. Naruto suggested they camped off the trail and led the party to a secluded area in the surrounding forest. He volunteered to water the horses while Hinata set up the camp, Sakura went for water and Sasuke started a fire. Hinata passed out some dumpling she had made that morning in preparation for the long trip.

"Hey, guys," Naruto said with a wide grin on his face.

"What?" Sakura and Hinata asked while Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I've got a really good joke for you all to hear."

"Let's hear it," Hinata suggested.

"Okay so Danzou has to give a speech at the ninja academy that focuses on a serious subject. While on the podium, in front of the students, he decides to give a speech on tragedy. He asks the audience 'Who can give me an example of a tragedy?'

And this little girls stands up and says, 'Danzou-sama, a tragedy happens when all the students attend a party at someone's house and then a fire breaks out, killing all of us.'"

Sakura and Hinata exchanged worried glances but when Sakura looked at Sasuke, he tilted his head back to Naruto, suggesting that she continue listening.

Naruto chuckled and spoke again, "After the girl finishes, Danzou says, 'No, that would be a _**great loss**_. Who else can tell me what a tragedy is?'

A boy who is about to graduate the academy raises his hand, stands up, and says, 'Danzou-sama, a tragedy is when my mother and I are walking in the forest and fall off a cliff and die.'

Danzou then says, 'No, that would be an _**accident**_. Is there anyone else who can tell me what a tragedy is?'

Now another boy stands up and he was the type of kid who always got into trouble. He stands up and says, 'Danzou-sama, a tragedy would be if you were commanding an army, but was killed on the battlefield.'

Danzou contemplates this and says, 'Yes, boy. That would be a tragedy. Can you tell me why?'"

Naruto snickered again before finishing, "And the boy smiled and said, 'Yes sir, because it wouldn't have been a _**great loss**_ and it wouldn't have been an _**accident**_!'"

Everyone toppled over laughing while Sasuke simply stared off into another direction, having heard Naruto tell him the joke over a dozen times. Without warning, lightning crackled viciously across the sky and water began to pour from the sky.

"Well, that's just great," Naruto complained.

Sasuke sighed in irritation, "I know a place to stay dry."

The horses panicked and shifted their feet nervously. Fortunatley they were tied to a tree trunk so they didn't run off. Everyone took some supplies and untied their horses while Sasuke led the way to a large tree. Large seemed to be an understatement because the tree was almost as tall as the palace and as wide as a nobleman's house. The roots were exposed and met the trunk at least seven feet off the ground which was enough to encourage the horses inside. Sakura was amazed that the tree was actually hollowed out a good amount and acted similarly to a cave, just without the bats.

"I told you this would be a better spot, dobe," Sasuke hissed.

"Hey, from what my eyes saw, it was going to be a great night for stargazing."

"I think Sakura needs to check your eyes for damage in that case."

"Aw, shut up, Teme!"

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**For all of you Final Fantasy lovers, did you like the horses's names? I tried not to make some of them so obvious, so i used last names. You can probably guess who's who. Except for Knight unless you really like Final Fantasy Versus XIII but i don't its out in the U.S. yet. **

**Even if you don't play Final Fantasy games i hope you still liked the joke just as much.**

**PLease review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thank you, those of you who have not given up on my late chapters and those of you who have given me some ideas and inspirations.**

**Wow, writer's block is a B******

**I decided that adding a new character would be a nice change... hint: the title says it all.**

**Inspiration for this partcular chapter: Yuffie Kisaragi from final fantasy 7 and i guess i could count the first episode of shippuden.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I can only wish i have some sort of influence over Masashi Kishimoto. hmm.**

**ENJOY!**

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**Rain / Enter: Konohamaru**

By morning, the rains still came. It rained, and rained… and rained some more. Sakura was extremely frustrated with the all the rain. She sighed, "Obviously, this weather isn't going to let up… UGH! Let's just put on our cloaks and go!"

Sasuke nodded and everyone began pulling their hoods over their heads and coaxing the horses into the open road. Serrah protested at first, whinnying and rearing up at the entrance of their tree shelter. Naruto stroked her mane and nose several times, murmuring words of encouragement into her ear until she calmed down and allowed the rain to drop onto her. Her white coat soon faded into a darker grey color with each droplet.

Sakura was thankful that the rest of the horses didn't mind a little water. She wanted to get to Konoha as fast as possible because the sooner she talked to Jiraiya, the sooner he could explain to Tsunade how wrong she was for mistrusting them. Besides, it wasn't raining hard at all; just enough to get on her nerves when a gust of wind would knock her hood off and send sprays of water to run down her face. Hinata also seemed displeased with this weather pattern. At least the temperature was warming up as well. The snow had turned to slush with the relatively warmer rain.

Sakura easily saw why Fang was the palace traveling horse. She was even enjoying the weather. Her dark coat seemed unaffected by the dampness and several times Sakura had to pull the reins in order to stop her from cantering into the puddles. Naruto chuckled each time and explained to Sakura that she had grown up in Suna, a desert region where little rainfall took place. Several hours passed with the group talking about the politics in Konoha. Not being there for a while, Sakura and Hinata wanted to know what changes took place and who rose to power.

"Danzou is still hokage of course," Naruto said. "But nothing has changed in Konoha at all. All the shops are in the same area and all the restaurants are still owned by the same people. By the way, I know another ramen shop there. Once we get to Konoha, we should stop and get something to eat."

Sasuke remained silent for the day. He was thinking of ways to get onto good terms with Tsunade and when he had first moved into the new palace. Technically, it was only a little bigger than a Hokage's castle and the same size as the original complex in Konoha. He remembered when Kakashi had first told him and Naruto about the myth of the forest spirits and how they both went to investigate. He was only curious and he was only in love just a few months ago. But now, it was all held hostage against him by this Queen of Kunoichis. Now, it was a war he needed to prevent before it could hurt anyone.

Once in a while, he stared at Sakura from the corner of his eyes, watching her chat to the rest of the group. Her hood covered her pink hair, but he smirked every time a sudden gust of wind would rip her hood off and exposed her face. Frustrated she would mutter some curses, throw the red hood back on and resume her conversation. She was so cute when she got frustrated over nothing.

Sasuke was shocked that he even thought of that. He even told himself he was in love with her. It may have been true, but he hardly ever felt love before and the feeling was incomprehensible to him. He'd catch himself staring at her and even thinking about her. He was so fascinated with her. One moment she'd be annoying and weak looking, but the next moment, she'd turn around, curse and throw a chakra loaded punch. Even the ones without chakra, he could tell would cause serious damage. She was… irresistible.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked him.

He snapped out of his daydreaming. "Hm?"

Naruto leaned out of his saddle. "Where should we set up for the night? It doesn't look like it'll rain again, but I can still smell it. That or it's just the horses." He sniffed his shirt. "I guess everything smells like rain now."

Sakura looked up at the sky. "It's going to rain again," she sighed. "In fact, we're in the calm before a storm." Naruto's horse pawed the ground nervously as if to agree with her.

Sasuke thought for a minute and then decided, "I remember a good shelter somewhere around here. We'd have to hurry though. It's a little ways of the road." He turned his midnight stallion and led the party into the forest. Finally, they came to a waterfall. The ground was muddy and slick from the rain, but the horses had managed. Dense shrubbery covered the area, their leaves still lost from the winter chill. He slid off the stallion and ordered the others to do so.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto questioned. "How is this shelter? It's just a waterfall. What are we going to do? Hide at the bottom of the pond that it feeds into and wait out the storm that way?"

Lightning struck the sky, harsh and violent. Serah was starting to become skittish. She couldn't handle this weather much longer. Ignoring his friend, Sasuke walked his horse, beckoned everyone to follow and led them to a path next to the waterfall.

Sakura was amazed yet again. Behind the waterfall was a cave. And it was a perfect place to set up camp for the night. She watched Sasuke scan the area of the cave, making sure that it was a safe place while Naruto began tending to the horses.

As Hinata began setting up, she caught herself staring at Naruto several times. She knew she was getting distracted with her work so she asked Sakura to examine all the medical supplies to make sure that they didn't get wet in the rain. Hinata turned back to setting out all the sleeping bags in the most comfortable places in the cave, but no matter how much she worked, she still couldn't help but watch Naruto from the corner of her eyes. Attempting to clear her mind, she shook her head.

Serah stomped on the cavern floor while Naruto unsaddled the other horses. She was getting more impatient as the days wore on and increasingly difficult to appease. The blonde ninja took off all her equipment, releasing the excess weight and receiving a tired snort from the white mare. "Hmph, you're picky today," he commented to her.

"Naruto!" He turned to see Sakura waving at him. "Sasuke and I are going to get some firewood and fresh fish before it gets too dark."

A smile stretched from ear to ear on the blonde's face as he fist pumped the air, "OKAY! I haven't had fish in a while!"

"Hurry back," Hinata called to her friend.

As Sasuke and Sakura exited the cave, Hinata glanced at Naruto only to find him staring back at her. This was going to get awkward.

Sakura wrapped her red cloak closer to herself while the temperature dropped outside the cave. Sasuke followed her shortly and motioned towards the river that fed the waterfall, "There should be more fish and wood up there."

She looked sideways at him and snorted, "Sasuke, I grew up in the forest. I'm not an idiot. There's wood everywhere and the same for fish." Nevertheless, she trekked up the hill and walked towards the tree line where Sasuke had pointed out. By the time she made it up, Sasuke had already pulled out a small net, just enough to catch a few fish. Holding each end, the two threw the net into the water and fastened the ends to two trees. "You take everything the hard way, don't you?" Sakura laughed. "Back in the village, we get bored of nets and use different jutsus and attack patterns similar to wolves."

Sasuke paused, eyeing her after she said this. He knew Sakura was different but exactly how different than the girls he grew up around was still an enigma. Nevertheless he leaned against the tree, a usual position for him, but never took his stony eyes off of her.

And unexpectedly, Sakura positioned herself right next to him against the bark. She flashed a dazzling smile at him that could've made his entire body flush. But, he was an Uchiha and Uchihas never showed embarrassment out in public or even behind closed doors.

"So what do you need to talk about?" The kunoichi asked bluntly.

"Hm?"

"There wasn't any particular reason you," she held up air quotes around the word, "'needed' me here to help gather firewood and catch fish."

He raised an eyebrow for a while and then smirked at her. Aiming strait for the jugular, he should have expected such straightforwardness from her. That was what she had radiated with straight from the beginning, unless she was flirting with him; which had greatly entertained him he had to admit.

"Well Sas-"

He interrupted her with a kiss. She let his right hand slide over her torso, enticing a sigh of satisfaction from the touch. Sakura pushed the back of his neck in order to deepen their kiss. It was just their lips interlocking before Sasuke broke off and touched her forehead with his. His voice was slightly husky as he breathed, "I'm starting to crave more privacy with you." Sakura blushed at least ten shades of red. "Not like _that_, Sakura. I meant just being with you and no one else. I guess I took those meetings we had in the forest for granted."

Sakura remembered those times when they met up, still trying to figure each other out and often broke out into duals. She giggled, "You might as well call them our first dates, Sasuke. I have to admit, I had the hots for you even then."

This stumped the prince. Sakura never admitted this to him before. Her confession was like reaching for your shoe only to realize a lizard had crawled up and died in there. Okay, maybe not quite like that. Sakura pecked his lips again before pushing herself off the tree. She crept up the bank, between the shadows that the trees had cast and peered into the clear water. The princess waved a hand over to him, signaling that the net had done its job.

He made his way towards her, but stopped abruptly. Sensing him tense up, Sakura's green eyes scanned the treeline. Someone was watching. Several shuriken flew from her skilled fingertips while Sasuke's body disappeared in a flash. Sakura blinked several times, looking for him and the intruder when he finally reappeared again. Though, this time he was clutching a struggling child in his bloody arms. He had taken a hit in order to bring the suspect alive to her.

"Let me go!" The little boy yelped. "I'm not your enemy!"

Sasuke did so, and the boy stumbled to Sakura's feet, rubbing his neck with one hand and using the other to stay keep his balance. His dull, brown hair shielded his face from Sakura's eyes as she tried to assess the situation.

"He's just a nuisance," Sasuke stated coldly and began picking three of Sakura's shuriken out of his arm and one out of his thigh.

The kid looked up at Sakura with his mischievous dark eyes. "I like your boobs, Sakura." Instinctively Sakura kicked him and stepped back as if going through anger then shock instead of vice-versa.

"Who are you? Why are you here? And how do you know my name?"

"Well…" The brunette boy's eyes sparkled as if this was his favorite question. "I'm the Great Ninja and Future Hokage, Konohamaru! And I'm not just here to dazzle you with my brilliance, Beautiful. I'm on a dangerous quest to seek out and fight the Number one Knuckleheaded Ninja, Naruto. And don't worry, I'm a hero, not a stalker, Sakura. I only know your name because I was… spying on you guys for just a short while." His eyes darted to the ground and he flinched as if he expected either ninja to take a swipe at him.

Sakura was beyond confused. "Why Naruto?"

"We're old friends and to tell you the truth, I missed him while he was gone. Can I PLEASE come with you two? If you're not done making out…"

Naruto and Hinata's faces inched closer and closer together. He wanted to kiss her, to feel warmth of the blush on her cheeks. He was almost there, almost…

Wham! "We caught something!" Sakura's voice echoed at the entrance to the cave. She carried a tree branch on her shoulder while Sasuke dumped the net next to the would-be fire pit.

The blonde and the priestess lurched away from each other as if the ground was more interesting. Naruto threw his hands in the air. "What kind of fish could possibly be so interesting that… Konohamaru?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out." The said boy struck a pose. "I, the Great Ninja of Konoha challenge you, Master!"

"Did he just call you Master?" Hinata and Sakura both asked.

Without answering, Naruto's face shifted to a more humorous look. "Have at thee!" In a whirl of orange and blue, the two swung at each other, kicking and punching until Naruto took hold of Konohamaru's ankle and flung him at the wall.

The little kid rubbed the dirt off his chin and snickered. "I guess I'll have to use my greatest weapon, Naruto. Fear the wrath of your own teachings!"

Cerulean blue eyes grew quite large as he yelped, "Konohamaru, no! Not here!"

Sakura and Hinata's eyes widened too as they stepped back. Whatever had gotten Naruto concerned was definitely beyond any knowledge, but they could still feel the entire cave suffocating through Naruto's strong sense of emergency. However, Sasuke simply turned around to start a fire with his phoenix flower jutsu.

"Konohamaru, stop!"

"Sexy no Jutsu!"

POOF!

In Konohamaru's place was a very feminine figure with long dark hair pulled into two pigtails and only a few clouds to cover the naked body.

Naruto smacked his face, not believing what was happening before him. "I'm not a kid anymore, Konohamaru… and while I may have taught you well… I've grown up."

POOF!

The younger ninja changed back into his original form. "What? Naruto, are you serious?"

"I can't play games like that anymore, because….. because… THAT WAS THE WEAKEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN! ALLOW ME TO SHOW YOU THE NEW AND IMPROVED-"

"Naruto!" Everyone yelled.

"I'm hungry, who's up for some fish?" A guilty grin spread itself across the blonde's face.

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**Again, please comment, rate, and some more ideas would be appreciated. Thanks again to those who have helped me. I've already taken your advice into account and if i can remember to put them in the next few chapters, i will! Thanks to all! Hope you liked it. (=0v0=)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Okay, I'm not gonna lie. Its getting really hard to write this stuff down. Especially since this is my first fanfic and that I lack the will power to transfer the stuff from my brain and into the computer. Now I know how Mark Twain felt when he took a two year break from writing "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any stuff belonging to Mark Twain.**

**Inspiration: A review from a certain someone... and this crazy dream i had a a week before updating the last chapter.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Nightmare/ Feat**

"Hinata! Hinata!" The whimpering girl shivered beneath Sakura as she shook her sleeping form. Sleeping wasn't the right word to describe her at this moment, more like a shaking leaf during a violent storm. Cold sweat ran down Hinata's forehead as she jolted into a sitting position, fully awake.

"Hinata, what's the matter?" Sakura's worried eyes bore into the pale opal of the priestess.

"Was I…?"

"You were moaning and thrashing about in your sleeping bag," Naruto's voice answered. Hinata didn't even notice him there until he spoke up. He too wore an expression of concern.

Even Konohamaru was beside Sakura. A devilish grin stretched across his mouth, lasting only a brief moment while he voiced, "Yeah, at first, I thought you were having one of those wet dreams until your eyes scrunched up and you began to mutter something about falling." Naruto threw a furious look at the boy and flicked his nose. "Ouch!"

"Are you okay?" Sakura put a comforting hand on Hinata's shoulder.

Her eyes were downcast and she relaxed her fingers. Her grip on the blankets must have been extremely tight because they proceeded to ache as soon as she let go. "I… I had a bad dream."

"Naw," Konohamaru snickered in a daring way. "I could have sworn all that thrashing around was a fantasy about your wedding night- OUCH!" Naruto flicked him again, this time with a little chakra.

Sakura's gaze was still fixed on her. "Do you want to talk about it? That always makes you feel better."

"…No… not yet…"

Sakura was skeptical for a minute, but relented. "Okay."

After breakfast, the group was on the road again. The rain had finally stopped to allow some sunshine, the promise of spring glorifying the dirt road. Since everyone allowed Konohamaru to tag along, he rode with Naruto. Serah didn't appreciate the extra weight of another rider, especially a loud one, but continued onward because Naruto would frequently pat her neck. However, the mare would steer straight into every pothole.

"Gyuh." Konohamaru blanched.

Naruto turned around. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot I don't do well with horses."

"Tough, man… unless you want to walk… Pothole!"

"Hoooofff!"

"Hey, don't be throwing up back there!"

Konohamru started turning green. "I'll try. I knew I shouldn't have had seconds. Bleh."

Sakura giggled while Hinata seemed oblivious to the scene. She stared at the space between her horse's ears, contemplating her dream. _Was it just a nightmare, or another vision?_

_Hinata was holding onto a rope, dangling above what seemed like her death. A mass of blue bubbled and splashed hundreds of feet below her. At the bottom, a figure waited for her. What was it? A shark? A demon? A jagged rock? _

_She knew that if she let go of the rope, she'd fall right on top of that figure. She could feel it coaxing her down from the rope. It scared her. Was that death? She looked up to see where the rope would take her if she simply climbed. At the top of the ladder stood a familiar face: Queen Tsunade. Her lips pursed as if Hinata was going through critical examination. The blonde woman's usually honey colored eyes blazed fiercely at her, then at the ocean of blue below, then at the rope, and then back at Hinata. "Choose wisely," she barked._

_What? What was she supposed to choose from? Life or death? Um… Life! Hinata slowly pulled herself another inch up the rope. She felt a tug from the bottom of the rope. Looking back down, she couldn't see anything. Was that figure trying to pull her down? Suddenly, she couldn't move. Try as she might, her muscles seemed glued together. NO! She tried to call out to her queen for help, but it was no use. Her throat shrank back into her chest. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. Panic settled in as she held onto the rope, hovering over the deep blue abyss. Another tug on the rope…_

"Yo, Hinata," Naruto's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"…Hmm? Sorry, I was… out of it," She apologized softly.

"Are you okay?" Concerned laced through his blue eyes.

How many times had she heard that question today? Too many times. "I'm fine," she repeated again.

Naruto smiled at her and then pointed up the road. "We're here!" About a mile down the road laid solid white rock. Two enormous wooden doors were propped open, each painted with some kanji letters that were indistinguishable from this distance. Despite the muddy slush that hindered their means of travel, Konoha's gates were grand and inviting.

Two men guarded the gates and silently looked the party over as they rode through. Now came the hard part of their journey, finding Jiraiya. Naruto had explained to everyone that he owned a few apartments throughout the village, but he also tended to spend his time on the outskirts of the city.

The sun had finally peaked through the clouds, allowing Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata to tear off their hoods and bathe in the warmth, though the winter sunlight was haggard compared to the summer's radiance. Sasuke refused to take his off despite the weather's invitation though no one seemed to care. Naruto chuckled since only he knew the true reason why Sasuke became tense. They found a humble looking stable for the horses and gave a gracious tip to the stable hand.

Konohamaru was relieved to be free of the saddle. "Man, I don't know how you guys stand riding horses. My legs feel- whoah!" His knees buckled underneath him and he crashed into Naruto. Luckily, Naruto expected this and was ready to catch his old friend. "Thanks, Naruto. OWIE!"

"What's wrong?" Sakura rounded on the boy, green eyes scanning his body for any injuries.

"Butt cramp! Ooohhh! Owie! How are you guys not like this?" he gestured to his legs and location of his pain. "Don't your butts hurt, too?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and replied, "You'll get used to it."

"Humph, no thanks. I'd rather not ride that thing again. Stupid saddle."

Naruto laughed and helped him to his feet. Feeling hungry, the group found themselves in a ravenousness predicament. Several arguments soon followed regarding their next location; should they eat now or look for Jiraiya first, what kind of food did their appetites crave, is a restaurant better to fill their empty bellies or would a simple and fast food stall suffice, and which is the best? Eventually Naruto won out the battle. The party ate at a simple ramen shop with soup that rivaled even the finest restaurants.

"I want to help you guys," Konohamaru announced.

Naruto set down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth while Sasuke paid for their food. "Why?"

"Because that's just what comes from the goodness of my heart. Besides, why shouldn't I lend a hand to an old friend."

"Konohamaru, do you even know where we are going?"

"Uhh…. around town?"

"Not exactly. We need to check out all of Jiraiya's favorite spots in Konoha, including the outskirts, the springs, and his apartments."

"COOL! I'm soooo tagging along!" The kid pumped his fists into the air, flashing a brilliant yet devious smile.

"No, you're not."

"What? Why not?"

"Because you're still a kid."

"So are you!"

"I'm sixteen and you're twelve."

"That's only four years! And what's so bad about being a kid?"

"If you're mom ever caught me showing you into a hot spring without any adult supervison-"

"Well, your sixteen aren't you?"

Naruto faltered. Konohamaru was a tough and stubborn kid, much like Naruto himself. Though, even he didn't want to deal with himself in a situation like this. The genin even turned the tables around on him. He had to explain to his friend that mentally, the difference is much bigger than their ages. Konohamaru shouldn't be in a situation like this. A hot spring is no place for a kid unless it's empty. Of course, the hot springs are never empty in the winter time. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and closed his eyes, frustrated. An idea came to him like someone turning on a light bulb. It was desperate, but it should do the job.

"Hey, if you don't bug off, I'm going to tell Moegi that you like her."

"Wha…" Fear had spread throughout his eyes. Red pigment crawled from the back of his neck and seeped into his cheeks. His mouth was paralyzed and hung open in shock.

Sakura twitted about, a snicker on her lips. "Aww, do you dream of her?"

"Is she the one?" Hinata giggled. Sasuke nearly cringed. This was one of the reasons why he preferred to stay quiet and pretend like he never listens. The method was foolproof for avoiding questions like these unless Kakashi was drunk.

"NO!" The genin's temperature was spiking and sweat beads started to accumulate on his forehead.

Naruto looked like the cat who had gotten the cream. "Well, do we have an understanding?" In a puff of smoke, Konohamaru was gone. "HAHA! NARUTO UZUMAKI WINS AGAIN! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"That was cute," Sakura mused.

"That was rudimentary," Sasuke muttered.

"I'm sorry, did you actually want him around where we are going?" Naruto waved his chopsticks in the air and set them back down. The party began to leave the ramen shop and walked about the street.

"I just thought you would come up with something better." A breeze knocked the prince's hood off, allowing his black hair to billow in the wind.

Suddenly, a cry ripped throughout the streets. One became two, two became five, and five became a crowd. Girls burst open their bedroom windows and poured into the street, heading straight for the group. "SASUKE! PRINCE SASUKE IS BACK!" They yelped and squealed to one another, their legs eating up the ground under their lavish kimonos.

"Aw shit," both boys moaned.

Naruto signaled to Sasuke, "The usual spot?"

"Hn," and the prince took off, bounding across the street. Naruto took Sakura and Hinata's arms, leaping onto the rooftops and leading them away from the love stricken girls. The crowd paid no attention to the trio. They had eyes only for Sasuke.

"So that's why he didn't take his hood off," Sakura stated calmly, though her fists weren't as calm.

Grinning like the lucky cat again, Naruto patted her shoulder. "Jealous? You're man's the eye candy for every girl in Konoha and they'll stop at nothing to take him from you."

Sakura glared at him from the corner of her eyes. "Just give me two minutes…"

Hinata rolled her eyes. "They don't know about you Sakura. Besides, most of their reason for this pursuit is simply because Sasuke's a prince."

"Crown prince, to be exact," Naruto corrected and mumbled, "Lucky bastard." A pair of arms wrapped themselves around the blonde. She didn't say anything, but a hug from Hinata was enough to soothe Naruto. "Come on."

They made their way over to an alley where Naruto explained that this was the place where he and Sasuke, as little kids, used to hide whenever the screaming females tried to chase them, or rather, just Sasuke. Usually, after the crowd dispersed, he and the Uchiha would climb the walls in order to jump from roof to roof and then play tag on the roofs. Scarcely, Sasuke would be spotted again. People just didn't look up in order to find a kid.

After about an hour of the trio discussing their mission (to locate and extract help from the toad sage), the dark prince eventually showed up with his hood replaced. "Temme, what took you so long?"

"They had sentries on every corner this time," Sasuke replied. He turned to Sakura, "How long was I gone?"

"An hour!" Sakura moaned. "Should I kick their butts next time? After all, you are off the market."

Sasuke smirked at this and was about to pull her into a kiss when Naruto interrupted, "Oi, we have a mission here! If you don't want to allow a war between our countries then I suggest we keep to this mission." Sakura smacked the back of his head. "Anyway, we should split up. That's the fastest way to track Jiraiya down. He tends to stay in one place for quite a while, especially if he's," Naruto held up air quotes, "'researching' for his next book."

"What does he study?" Hinata asked.

Naruto stuttered, "Uh, well, he's a pervert. He just spies on women for his porn novels."

Sakura cringed, "That's… strange."

"Yeah, that's why I call him Pervy Sage."

"Wait," Sakura said. "Before we left, you said that you knew exactly where Jiraiya-sama is. You said he was at the hot springs."

Naruto sighed. "Yeah, but I forgot that there was more than one hot spring here." He shook his head as if to clear his head in order to make room for a new topic. "So here's my plan. You two," he gestured at Sasuke and Sakura, "Will check the outer edges of Konoha and the hot springs in the southern sector of the village. Hinata and I will check the northern sector while I send some clones to the east and west."

"Got it," Sasuke replied.

"Hey kids!" A voice rumbled from behind. It was Jiraiya stepping into the alley.

"P-Pervy Sage?"

"What are you guys doing?"

Naruto faltered. "What are we doing?" he repeated. "I had this master plan that I had been thinking about since we got halfway here in order to find you, and you have the gall to simply show up and prove my plan to be meaningless? Go hide in one of your holes so I can carry out this epic plan and find you again!"

"Hahaha!" his laughter boomed. "Life isn't fair, is it?"

Sasuke acted with a counter. "How did you find us, Jiraiya- sama?"

The said sanin raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "It's not that hard to find you when hundreds of girls scream your name." Sakura grew irritated and her facial expression showed it. Jiraiya was light when he said, "If it bothers you that much, then maybe you should start making your relationship public."

Sasuke scoffed. "It's none of the public's business."

"Oh yes it is, Your Highness."

"Whatever."

Changing the subject, Jiraiya invited them to dinner, his treat of course. So, they set out again, but not without stopping by the Uchiha palace of Konoha to freshen up. Everyone needed a good bath, especially since they had traveled so long on horseback.

They requested a private room at the restaurant in case someone recognized Sasuke again. On the way, Sakura gripped Sasuke's hand tightly, watching the streets for any suspicious girls. Amused by her jealousy and strong sense of possession, Sasuke whispered in her ear, "You're getting to be very entertaining, Sakura."

"Well if you hadn't noticed, I am royalty like you." The princess scanned the streets again before declaring, "I am the jealous type."

The prince kissed her hair. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

As if on cue, a man who was crossing the street began eyeing Sakura. He smiled at her and winked. He was hitting on her. Sasuke snarled at him and angled Sakura away from his eyes. The princess laughed. "It seems you are the jealous type too."

"I'm royalty; I have a right to be possessive." He kissed her affectionately again, glad that they were the ones picking up the rear of the party. Jiraiya and Naruto were talking excitedly and Hinata politely laughed at their sharing of jokes, clutching Naruto.

In the middle of their meal, Jiraiya excused himself to go to the bathroom. The blonde ninja choose this opportunity to give Sasuke a hard time about the incident he and Hinata caught the royals inside Sasuke's bedroom.

"Ha-ha! Temme, you should have seen your face when we caught you guys! You were so red!" Naruto laughed through his rice.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Well, we weren't doing any of that stuff."

"What stuff?" Jiraiya asked, coming back from his bathroom break. "And why was Sasuke so red? In fact, Sasuke, you're starting to have a bit of pink in your cheeks. So do you, Sakura."

The two said teens stared at their rice. "Nothing," was their only reply.

Jiraiya seemed to be able to put two and two together and chuckled loudly. After taking a swig of his sake, he sighed. "I remember my first love. It was way back when I was about fifteen years old. Now, what was her name? Hmmm."

"She must have been really pretty," Hinata piped.

"Oh, yes. Even now in her fifties, she takes a potion to maintain that beauty of hers. And boy did she have the biggest, roundest…"

"Okay, I think we got the point, Pervy Sage," Naruto interrupted.

"Anyway, her name was Tsunade. A long time ago, she left Konoha to start another village, but I haven't heard from her since."

Silence followed. Each and every teen was staring, eyes wide open, at the white haired man.

"What?" He asked, confused of his predicament.

Sakura spoke up. "That's the name of our queen. And yes, she does take a potion for cosmetics."

"Long, blonde hair?" Jiraiya rubbed his chin.

"Yes."

"Tawny eyes?"

"Yep."

"Has a diamond on her forehead for a jutsu?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's a small world after all!"

Sakura perked up, "Actually, we have a favor to ask of you, Jiraiya-sama."

"Hmm? And what would that be?"

"Well," Sakura licked her lips and put on a more professional air about her. "Tsunade-sama thinks that Sasuke's the enemy. Some of our spies reported seeing Kabuto and Orochimaru in the area and she got the wrong impression."

"Ah, if I know Tsunade, it's hard to change her mind once she makes a decision."

"Yes, indeed," Hinata agreed.

Sasuke spoke up next. "I've tried sending some ambassadors over to her, but she chased them out. I even tried coming myself-"

"ME TOO!" Naruto interrupted, but the prince continued.

"But the queen refuses to even let me step a foot into her territory."

The white-haired sanin rose an eyebrow, "Wow, I'm impressed that you bothered to go yourself, Sasuke." He turned his attention back to Sakura. "But what do I need to do? I haven't seen Tsunade in years."

"Just talk to her. You were old friends before she left Konoha."

Jiraiya scratched the back of his head, "Yes, but… Again, I haven't seen nor heard from her in years. I don't know how she'll react to me." Silence filled the room and the tension rose. Finally, he agreed. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. After all, there may be war if I don't help out."

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